NASA appoints David Korth as deputy director of the Mission Safety and Assurance Directorate

NASA has selected David Korth as deputy director of the Johnson Space Center’s Mission Safety and Assurance Directorate. Korth previously served as the International Space Station Deputy Administrator, Office of Avionics and Software at the Johnson Space Center before serving as Acting Deputy Administrator for Mission Safety and Assurance.

I am excited to embark on my new role as the Johnson Administration’s Deputy for Security and Mission Assurance,” said Korth. “Safety has been a priority for me throughout my NASA career. It is at the forefront of every decision I make.”

Korth brings more than 34 years of experience to NASA’s human spaceflight programs. Prior to providing support to the Space Station Avionics and Software Office, Mr. Korth served as Deputy Manager of the Program Engineering and Integration Office where he also led the acquisition of the Commercial Destination agency program culminating in the selection of Axiom Space.

Mr. Korth began his career at NASA as an engineer in the space station program’s operations planning group where he helped develop the initial operational concepts and planning system requirements for the orbiting laboratory. He became a civil servant in 1998 and was among the first three people to receive front room certification as a space station ‘OPS PLAN’ operator. Korth also served as chief operations planner for Expedition 1 – the first crewed expedition to the space station, received two NASA fellowships, worked as technical assistant for operations in the Mission Operations Directorate, and was selected as flight director in May 2007 and served as Space Station Chief Flight Director for Expeditions 21, 22 and 37, Chief Flight Director for the Japanese HTV3 cargo ship mission, and Chief Flight Director for US EVAs 22, 23 and 27.

“David has done an excellent job supporting Johnson’s many programs and institutional security needs while serving as acting deputy administrator,” said Willie Lyles, director of the Mission’s Security and Assurance Directorate. “He successfully weighed several critical risk-based decisions with a community of technical authorities. David’s program and flight operations experience is unique and an asset to this role.”

During his career, Korth was recognized for outstanding technical achievement and leadership, receiving the Rotary National Space Achievement Award, the Silver Snoopy Award, two Outstanding Achievement Awards, two NASA Medals for Outstanding Leadership, and the NASA Medal for Outstanding Achievement.

“David is an outstanding leader and engineer who truly understands NASA’s security environment and protocols,” said Vanessa Wyche, director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center. “His leadership will ensure that the center continues its ‘safety first’ ideology. I am extremely pleased to announce his selection for this position.”

Mr. Korth holds a bachelor’s degree in aerospace engineering from Texas A&M University and a master’s degree in statistics from the University of Houston-Clear Lake.