James L. “Larry” Crawford, director of Kennedy Space Center’s Safety and Mission Assurance (S&MA) organization, is retiring today after 35 years of dedicated service to NASA and the U.S. Army.
Crawford joined KSC in 2004 to lead the new S&MA organization, which was created to centralize the safety and mission assurance activities into a single, effective organization. Through his leadership, the Center’s safety and mission assurance program was tremendously strengthened.
“In reorganizing the S&MA directorate, employees made it clear that they wanted a seasoned veteran as their director,” said KSC Director Jim Kennedy. “Larry was the right man at the right time and has made significant accomplishments.”
According to Crawford, the S&MA organization is a large and evolving structure that has made major contributions in reducing risk to flight and ground crews.
“I am very proud of what both the KSC team and the S&MA organization, in particular, have accomplished, and I will cherish the time I had here,” said Crawford, who led more than 250 KSC safety professionals. “When I started this job, a good friend and safety professional at another NASA Center gave me a copy of a prayer to use before starting work each day. I try to bring God’s presence with me each day, and I know who gets credit for whatever has been accomplished in the time I have been here.”
