NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe today named retired Air
Force Major General Michael C. Kostelnik as Deputy Associate
Administrator for International Space Station and Space
Shuttle, a newly created senior management position within
the Office of Human Space Flight.

The new position provides leadership and accountability for
top-level safety requirements, mission success criteria,
overall policy definition, and strategic planning in the
direction and administration of the two programs.

“I am extremely pleased that General Kostelnik is going to
join our team,” said Administrator O’Keefe. “The Shuttle and
Station programs need to be more closely integrated and will
benefit from General Kostelnik’s hands-on experience and
proven track record in managing leading-edge aerospace
systems.”

Kostelnik’s responsibilities will include the corporate level
management of program safety, budget, performance and
schedule requirements for the International Space Station and
the Space Shuttle program. The program managers for these
important programs will report directly to Kostelnik,
consistent with the recommendations of the International
Space Station Management and Cost Evaluation (IMCE) Task
Force, known as the Young Report.

Kostelnik has more than 25 years of hands-on experience in
research, development, testing, and evaluation of leading
edge aerospace systems. He brings to NASA broad experience
and in-depth expertise in the management of high-risk
aerospace development test programs and operations safety.

Until his retirement, Kostelnik was the Commander of the Air
Force Development and Test Center and Air Armament Center at
Eglin Air Force Base in Florida. Responsible for two of the
Air Force’s largest installations, he was also the flight
manager for high-risk flight operations, which tested weapon
systems.

From late 1995 through 1997, Kostelnik was Vice Commander and
Director, Plans and Programs, of the Air Force Materiel
Command, Wright Patterson Air Force Base in Ohio.

From mid-1994 through late 1995, Kostelnik was Director,
Special Programs, in the Office of the Secretary of Defense
at the Pentagon. He managed advanced technology programs,
with responsibility for oversight of acquisition, covert
operations and intelligence special access programs.

“General Kostelnik’s experience with next-generations systems
and high-risk programs will be invaluable to the Human Space
Flight Program,” added Administrator O’Keefe.

Before serving at the Pentagon, Kostelnik held a variety of
positions in the Air Force, including Vice Commander, Warner
Robins Air Logistics Center, Warner Robins Air Force Base,
Ga., and Commandant of the Air Force Test Pilot School,
Edwards Air Force Base, Calif. Kostelnik joined the Air Force
as a fighter pilot in 1970, serving as an instructor and
flight examiner. He also served as a test pilot in the F-4,
F-15, and more than 60 other aircraft.

He holds a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from
Texas A&M University, a master’s degree in Industrial
Management Engineering from the University of Iowa, and has
completed extensive advanced program and executive management
training at a variety of institutions, including the National
Defense University, the Goldratt Institute, and Johns
Hopkins.

Kostelnik will report to NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in
Florida June 1 to immediately begin an intensive review of
the system integration challenges associated with the
International Space Station. He will permanently relocate to
NASA Headquarters in Washington by late summer.

Additional biographical information is available on the
Internet at:

http://www.af.mil/news/biographies/kostelnik_mc.html