The National Space Society (NSS) congratulates Commercial Crew Program Manager Kathy Lueders for her appointment to head the Human Exploration and Operations (HEO) Mission Directorate, and thanks NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine for moving swiftly and wisely in selecting her. Among her many past achievements, Ms. Lueders also directed commercial cargo resupply services to the International Space Station and later managed NASA’s efforts to send astronauts to the ISS on private spacecraft, leading to the successful Demo-2 Crew Dragon launch from Kennedy Space Center on May 30.

NSS Chair of the Executive Committee Dale Skran remarked, “Kathy Lueders is a splendid selection for this crucial post. Her deep passion and determination for developing commercial markets in space bodes well for achieving the Artemis Program goal of getting the first woman and next man on the Moon by 2024.”

NSS Executive Vice President Alfred Anzaldúa added, “The selection of Kathy Lueders is a good sign that NASA will continue with public-private partnerships to procure space services via fixed-cost contracts. NASA’s Commercial Orbital Transportation Services (COTS) and subsequent Commercial Crew programs have dramatically demonstrated how procuring services from private companies via fixed-cost contracts is quicker, more efficient, and less expensive than contracting space services via traditional cost-plus agreements. We applaud NASA’s determination to continue on this trajectory.”

See also NASA’s press release announcing the appointment.