CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. – Kennedy Space Center Director Bill Parsons recently announced the appointment of John J. “Tip” Talone Jr. to the new position of associate program manager of the Constellation Program at the center. Philip E. “Pepper” Phillips will replace Talone as the director of the Constellation Project Office.
In his new position, Talone will continue reporting directly to the center director and the Constellation Program manager at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, acting as a liaison between Parsons and the program. Talone will ensure technical and operational issues are identified and resolved, represent the Constellation Program and KSC to external entities, and provide program insight into NASA and contractor activities throughout the development cycle of the program.
Talone was the director of the Constellation Project Office at Kennedy from its inception in 2005. Prior to that assignment, he was director of International Space Station and payload processing for five years, following 31 years in space shuttle and Saturn/Apollo operations at Kennedy.
As director of the Constellation Project Office, Phillips will be responsible for the office’s management, leadership and direction to ensure the safe and effective execution of all Constellation systems processing and integration requirements in support of NASA’s plan to return to the moon. He has served as Talone’s deputy since the Constellation Project Office was created.
“As a unified management team, Talone and Phillips have ensured the integration and implementation of program policies and requirements, and effective cost and schedule management,” said Parsons.
Jennifer Kunz will serve as acting deputy director of the Constellation Project Office. Kunz has served as chief of the operations and integration division for the project office since it was created.
The Constellation Program is developing new vehicles to explore the moon, Mars and beyond. For more information, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/constellation/main/index.html
