O'keefe Resigns
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Volume 46 Issue 11 Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, California December 31, 2004 O’Keefe resigns NASA News Services FondFondFond NASAAdministrator Sean O’Keefe, who in the past three years led the Agency through an aggressive and comprehensive management transformation and helped it through one of its most painful tragedies, has resigned his post. In his resignation letter to President Bush, O’Keefe wrote, “I will continue until you have named a successor and in the hope the Senate will act on your nomination by February.” FarewellFarewellFarewell “I’ve been honored to serve this ■ Storied research aircraft president, the American people and my retired after more than talented colleagues here at NASA,” four decades in the skies O’Keefe said. “Together, we’ve enjoyed unprecedented success and By Jay Levine seen each other through arduous X-Press Editor circumstances. This was the most Dryden’s venerable NB-52B aircraft difficult decision I’ve ever made, but was recognized Dec. 17 for a career it’s one I felt was best for my family spanning nearly fifty years, a tour of duty and our future.” in which the big bird played a role in O’Keefe, 48, is NASA’s 10th airlaunching generations of experimental administrator. Nominated by President aircraft. Bush and confirmed by the U.S. The retirement ceremony brought Senate, he was sworn into office Dec. together people from the aircraft’s past 21, 2001. It was O’Keefe’s fourth and present as it is prepared for its future presidential appointment. as a historical monument at the Edwards Air After joining NASA, O’Keefe Force Base north gate. There, it will inspire focused his efforts on successfully new generations of researchers and pay bringing financial credibility to the tribute to its role as one of the most important Agency and eliminating a $5 billion aircraft in flight research history. budget shortfall for the International The NB-52B’s first missions were in the Space Station program. He introduced hypersonic X-15 program, where the several innovative management and aircraft launched 106 of the program’s 199 budget reforms and led all federal flights. Appropriately, the aircraft’s last agencies in the implementation of the mission was the airlaunch of the President’s Management Agenda, hypersonic X-43A, which broke records designed to make government more with a nearly Mach 10 flight in November. responsive and efficient. In three of the Former Dryden pilot Ed Schneider original five agenda categories, hosted the ceremony. NASA’s performance is at the highest “This airplane has played a pivotal yet standard. largely unsung role in many significant The tragic loss of seven astronauts aeronautics and space flight programs,” aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia as Schneider told a large crowd gathered in it re-entered Earth’s atmosphere during Dryden’s 4802 hangar. “I was privileged STS-107 on Feb. 1, 2003, focused the to fly her and perform some of the many nation’s attention on the future of tests represented by the silhouettes on her America’s space program. fuselage – 008 is a grand lady and always O’Keefe directed significant fun to fly.” changes in the Space Shuttle’s safety Former Dryden research pilot Fitzhugh and management programs. He was a “Fitz” Fulton also recalled his experiences key architect of the president’s vision flying the NB-52B. He and Schneider EC04 0327-38 NASA Photo by Tom Tschida for space exploration, announced in thanked Air Force maintenance crews, January 2004 during a speech by the from the craft’s early days – and since The NB-52B takes flight in the photo at top, EC04 0325-5 by Tony Landis. In the image president at NASA Headquarters in 1976, the NASA crews – for working above, Dryden employees welcome the NB-52B back to Dryden in November after its Washington, D.C. successful X-43A airlaunch, the final mission of its nearly 50-year career. through the night to get the vehicle ready The vision for space exploration led for pre-dawn missions. was a great big thump, like dropping a a few seconds the rocket airplane would a transformation of NASA and has “It was an interesting and challenging bomb. come up in front of the nose and we had positioned the Agency to meet the airplane to fly,” Fulton recalled. “It took “(When airlaunching the X-15) we the best view of the whole operation – challenges of safely returning the off faster than any other B-52 because we listened for the rocket engine to fire up a we could see the rocket plume and the Space Shuttle to flight, completing the didn’t use the flaps. It was a great feeling few seconds after the drop. You could when you dropped a test vehicle. There hear the rocket engine fire up, and in just See NB-52B, page 8 See O’Keefe, page 2 Inside Dryden Exchange Council Dryden at forefront with chemi- More NB-52B retirement coverage, DC-8 returns from frosty Alaska, Scholarship awarded, page 2 cal inventory system, page 3 page 4 page 6 News December 31, 2004 O’Keefe ... from page 1 International Space Station, exploring Committee on Appropriations staff for doctorate degrees from several prestigious Earth’s complexities and returning to the eight years, and was staff director of the educational institutions. In March 2003 News moon, going on to Mars and beyond. Defense Appropriations Subcommittee. and 2004, he was recognized and honored “The president and Congress have His public service began in 1978 when by Irish American magazine as one of the demonstrated their faith in us. We need he was selected as a Presidential Top 100 Irish Americans. at NASANASAat to seize this opportunity,” O’Keefe said. Management Intern. He is the author of several journal “NASA has a new direction that will push O’Keefe is a Fellow of the National articles, contributing author to “Keeping the boundaries of technology, science, Academy of Public Administration; a the Edge: Managing Defense for the Rovers’ work on space flight and knowledge, and will member of the Committee on Climate Future” released in October 2000, and in inspire new generations of explorers for Change Science and Technology; and a 1998, co-authored “The Defense Industry Mars continues years to come and secure this great Fellow of the International Academy of in the Post-Cold War Era: Corporate for second year nation’s future.” Astronautics. Strategies and Public Policy Encouraging students to study During his academic postings, he was Perspectives.” NASA lit a birthday candle Jan. 3 for mathematics, science and technology has a visiting scholar at the Wolfson College O’Keefe earned his Bachelor of Arts the twin Mars Exploration Rovers been a priority for O’Keefe. In April 2002, of the University of Cambridge, England; degree in 1977 from Loyola University, Spirit and Opportunity when Spirit he unveiled a new Educator Astronaut a member of the Naval Postgraduate School New Orleans, and his Master of Public began its second year on Mars, program, in which a select few of civil-military relations seminar team; and Administration in 1978 from the Maxwell investigating puzzling rocks unlike any outstanding teachers would be chosen to seminar leader for the Strategic Studies School of Citizen found previously. join NASA’s Astronaut Corps. The new Group at Oxford University, England. ship and Public The rovers successfully completed Educator Astronaut candidates were O’Keefe served on the national security Affairs at their three-month primary missions in introduced in May on Space Day and are panel to devise the 1988 Republican Syracuse April 2004, astounding even their in training at Johnson Space Center in platform and was a member of the 1985 University, designers with how well they continue Houston. Kennedy School of Government program N.Y. operating. The unanticipated longevity During his tenure, O’Keefe realized a for national security executives at is allowing both rovers to reach number of significant mission triumphs, Harvard University. additional destinations and to continue including Cassini’s exploration of Saturn In 1993, he received the Distinguished making discoveries. Spirit landed Jan. and its moons, the successful hypersonic Public Service Award from the first 3, 2004, and Opportunity Jan. 24, 2004. test flights of the X-43A and the historic President Bush. He was the 1999 http://www.nasa.gov/home/hqnews/2005/ landing of the twin Mars Exploration faculty recipient of the Syracuse jan/HQ_05001_rovers_ continue. html Rovers Spirit and Opportunity on the Red University Chancellor’s Award for Planet in January 2004. Public Service; recipient of the Astronomers “NASA is the only agency in the world Department of the Navy’s where its people are allowed to dream big Public Service Award in discover the and then work to make those dreams December 2000; and has come true. Who wouldn’t treasure the been awarded honorary most powerful opportunity to be a part of pioneering history?” O’Keefe wrote in his resignation. eruption in “I’m humbled by the dedication and determination of the NASA family and their the universe commitment to the future of exploration. I Astronomers have discovered the wish each of them the very best. I am most powerful eruption in the universe confident in their ability to carry out what using NASA’s Chandra X-ray we’ve started.” Observatory. A super-massive black O’Keefe first joined the Bush hole generated the eruption by growing administration as deputy director of the at a remarkable rate. This discovery Office of Management and Budget, shows the enormous appetite of large overseeing preparation, management and black holes, and the profound impact administration of the federal budget and they have on their surroundings.