Bob Jacobs/Dwayne Brown

Headquarters, Washington May 8, 2002

(Phone: 202/358-1600/1726)

RELEASE: 02-85

WHITE HOUSE MOVES TO FILL NASA DEPUTY ADMINISTRATOR

POSITION

President George W. Bush has announced his intention to nominate

Frederick D. Gregory as the next Deputy Administrator for NASA.
Gregory, 61, is a veteran astronaut and U.S. Air Force combat pilot,
and currently serves as the Associate Administrator for the Office of
Space Flight at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

"I am delighted with the President's decision and I'm hopeful for an
expeditious Senate confirmation," said NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe.
"Fred's legacy of mission safety and his experience as a Space Shuttle
commander, aviator and senior agency manager make him an excellent
selection."

If confirmed as Deputy Administrator, Gregory will serve as the chief

operating officer for the agency and report directly to Administrator
O'Keefe. He will be responsible for directing and managing many of the
programs as well as the day-to-day operations and activities at NASA.

Before being named to his current position in December 2001, Gregory

served as Associate Administrator for the Office of Safety and Mission
Assurance and was charged with the oversight of all safety issues
within NASA. He developed, implemented and managed quality assurance
policies that dealt with reliability and maintainability.

"This agency has the safest and most successful aeronautics and
aerospace programs in the world," said Gregory. "I deeply appreciate
the opportunity to build on that foundation of success as NASA moves
into a new era."

As a NASA astronaut, Gregory logged more than 455 hours in space during
three Space Shuttle missions. In 1985, he served as pilot on board
Challenger during STS-51B. Gregory was mission commander for STS-33 in
1989 and STS-44 in 1991.

Gregory was selected as an astronaut in 1978, after a distinguished

career with the U.S. Air Force. He logged nearly 7,000 hours in 50
types of aircraft, including 550 combat missions over Vietnam. He
retired as a Colonel in December 1993.

Gregory has been awarded the Defense Superior Service Medal, two
Distinguished Flying Crosses, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal,
the Meritorious Service Medal, 16 Air Medals, The Air Force
Commendation Medal and three NASA Space Flight medals.

His honors also include the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA
Outstanding Leadership Award, the National Society of Black Engineers
Distinguished National Scientist Award, the George Washington
University Distinguished Alumni Award and an "Ira Eaker Fellow" by the
Air Force Association.

Additional information about Gregory is available on the Internet at:

http://www.hq.nasa.gov/osf/fredbio.html

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