NASA’s Chief Engineer Theron Bradley, Jr., today
announced his plan to retire, effective Nov. 1, 2004.

Administrator O’Keefe appointed Bradley in June 2002, where
he was responsible for the overall review and technical
readiness of all NASA programs.

“Theron has been a leader in NASA’s engineering and safety
assessment community. He has been a driving force helping the
agency safely return to flight as we implement the Vision for
Space Exploration,” said Administrator O’Keefe. “He
reinvigorated the role of the position of chief engineer at
NASA, and I will miss his friendship, sound advice and
counsel.”

As Chief Engineer, Bradley established and implemented agency
policy concerning program and project management. Reporting
directly to the Administrator, Bradley drew on his vast
experience in the U.S. Navy nuclear reactor community to help
ensure development efforts and mission operations were
planned and conducted on a sound engineering basis.

He helped provide focus and established agency-wide
engineering policies, standards and practices. He was
responsible for establishing and directing agency policy with
regard to all engineering and related technical work,
including providing advice and recommendations on engineering
matters to senior agency managers across NASA.
Bradley served as the Executive Secretary of the Columbia
Accident Investigation Board (CAIB). He has been a driving
force managing NASA’s implementation of the CAIB’s
engineering and safety assessment recommendations, so
critical for Return to Flight. He was also chairman of the
CONTOUR spacecraft Mishap Investigation Board. He served as
the Chairman of the NASA Inventions and Contributions Board,
and participated in leadership positions for various other
NASA Boards and Councils.

Prior to joining NASA, Bradley was a senior civilian manager
and nuclear engineer with the Naval Nuclear Propulsion
Program, a joint activity of the Departments of Energy and
Navy. He served from 1982 to 2002 as Manager of the Naval
Reactors Idaho Branch Office. He directed and managed a 3000-
employee facility that included four operational nuclear
reactors and a state of the art material research and
development activity.

Prior to 1982, Bradley held several senior positions within
the Naval Reactors Headquarters organization. He served as
Director, Submarine Systems, for the Trident submarine
program. He was instrumental in the initial design of the
nuclear propulsion plant for Nimitz class aircraft carriers
and the advanced reactor design for Los Angeles class
submarines. Bradley also directed technology research and
development in the thermal/hydraulic, shock, vibration,
noise, and structural mechanics areas.

He holds Bachelor of Science degrees in Physics and
Mathematics from Oregon State University. He completed
Masters postgraduate work in Nuclear Engineering from Bettis
Reactor Engineering School, and he has a law degree from
LaSalle Extension University. He completed postgraduate work
in Physics at the University of Idaho.

Bradley is a registered Professional Engineer in Nuclear
Engineering and Mechanical Engineering in Idaho and Virginia.
He is a member of the American Nuclear Society and the
American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. He is
also one of the first recipients of the National Nuclear
Security Administration’s Gold Award for consistently
providing outstanding leadership and accomplishing a
sustained level of exceptional achievement over an extended
period.