NASA reshuffles leadership as Bob Cabana plans retirement

NASA announced its chief civil servant, former astronaut Bob Cabana, plans to retire after this year. Jim Free, the current Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, will take the post of NASA Associate Administrator.

Bob Cabana ends NASA career after 38 years

NASA’s Associate Administrator, the agency’s chief civil servant and advisor to Administrator Bill Nelson, Bob Cabana announced he was retiring from the agency after working for it for 38 years.

Cabana was selected to be a NASA astronaut in 1985 as part of Group 11. He later went on to fly four Space Shuttle missions, commanding two of those with his final one being the first construction mission of the International Space Station.

After STS-88, Cabana became what is known as a “management astronaut.” An astronaut that is still a part of NASA’s Astronaut Corps but is no longer eligible for flight assignments. Cabana moved on to management positions in NASA’s human spaceflight programs including being named the Director of Human Space Flight Programs, Russia.

After returning from Russia Cabana served as the Director of the Flight Crew Operations Directorate and then the Deputy Director of Johnson Space Center and Director of Stennis Space Center. However, Cabana is most known for his tenure as Director of Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

There Cabana over saw the center switch from being a single purpose, government launch facility to becoming a multi-use spaceport. Cabana left KSC to become the Associate Administrator in 2021.

So what is next for our favorite astronaut turned career NASA manager? Well there’s actually a pretty good market right now for former astronauts or high ranking NASA officials in the private sector.

DM-2 commander Doug Hurley now works at Northrop Grumman, Axiom Space also hired two astronauts from NASA to do flights to the ISS, Peggy Whitson and Michael López-Alegría. SpaceX hired both NASA’s Bill Gerstenmaier and Kathy Lueders, both former high ranking officials, to run various parts of its business.

However, I have a feeling at 74, Cabana might take things slow and enjoy some of that retirement he’s earned. Maybe get to work writing that memoir?

Join our Discord Server: Join the community with forums and chatrooms about space!

Jim Free takes on the job

Replacing Cabana will be NASA’s Associate Administrator of Exploration Mission Development, Jim Free. Free rejoined NASA in 2021 when the position was created after the Exploration and Operations directorate was split in two. Free oversaw development of the Space Launch System, Gateway, Human Landing System, and other programs related to Artemis and space exploration.

Free will take over the position after Cabana’s last day on Sunday, December 31. For Free this will be a short move as he is already positioned at NASA’s Headquarters in DC.

Before 2021, Free worked in the private sector after leaving NASA, where he served as Director of Glenn Research Center. Free began his NASA career in 1990 with a job at Goddard Space Flight Center.

Taking over for Free as the new Associate Administrator will be his deputy, Catherine Koerner. Koerner’s previous positions included Program Manager of the Orion spacecraft and Director of Human Health and Performance Directorate.

She is also a former flight director and NASA JPL employee.