Jim Cast

Headquarters, Washington, D.C.

July 1, 1994
(Phone: 202/358-1779)

RELEASE: 94-108

ARNOLD ALDRICH RETIRES

Arnold D. Aldrich, NASA Associate Administrator for Space

Systems Development, is retiring effective July 3, after 35-years
of service to the Agency.

Aldrich joined NASA in 1959 and held a number of significant

flight operations and project management positions at the Johnson
Space Center and its predecessor organizations during the Mercury,
Gemini, Apollo, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz and Space Shuttle programs.

In 1986 he was named Director of the National Space

Transportation System (Space Shuttle Program) in Washington where
he led the entire range of recovery activities required to return
the Shuttle fleet to flight following the Challenger accident. He
subsequently served as Associate Administrator for Aeronautics,
Exploration and Technology, where he provided leadership for
advancement of technologies for civil aviation, military aviation
and for future space missions.

In his current assignment, Aldrich has led a number of NASA's

large space flight system programs including Space Station
Freedom, the Advanced Solid Rocket Motor and the National Launch
System. He also has directed a wide range of advanced programs in
support of future space flight requirements and was the architect
and Program Manager of the first contract between NASA and an
organization in the Russian Federation.

Mr. Aldrich is a Fellow of the American Institute of Aeronautics

and Astronautics, a Fellow of the American Astronautical Society
and a corresponding member of the International Academy of
Astronautics. He has earned numerous honors including the
Presidential Rank of Distinguished Executive, the Presidential
Rank of Meritorious Executive (twice), the NASA Distinguished
Service Medal (three times), the Northeastern University
Outstanding Alumni Award, the Arthur S. Fleming Award, the NASA
Outstanding Leadership Medal, the VFW Aviation and Space Award,
the AIAA Space Systems Award and the NASA Exceptional Service
Award.

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Following his retirement from NASA, Mr. Aldrich will join the
Lockheed Missiles and Space Company, Sunnyvale, Calif., as a vice
president for commercial space programs.

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