A scientific study of the problems of
digital engineering for space flight systems,
with a view to their practical solution.
2002 MAPLD
International Conference Panel
Wednesday Evening, September 11, 2002
Kenneth W. Ledbetter
Executive Director, Programs
Office of Space Science, NASAAs the Executive Director for Programs in the Office of Space Science (OSS) at NASA Headquarters, Mr. Ledbetter oversees management of all flight program activities for NASA space science spacecraft. He ensures that projects from each OSS Division adhere to a consistent set of principles and practices during the spacecraft development period to achieve a successful launch and conduct of the science mission. He is especially watchful of the programs that cross divisional boundaries, specifically the low-cost planetary Discovery program, the multi-mission the Explorer Program, and the technology development projects of the New Millennium Program.
Previously, he was the Director of the Mission and Payload Development Division ('96-'01), the Flight Programs Branch Chief in the OSS Astrophysics Division ('94-'95), and the Program Manager for the Hubble Space Telescope program ('92-'94). Prior assignments include serving on the Viking Mars landing team in the 1970's, serving as the deputy payload operations manager for the 1982 Space Shuttle flight of the Space Sextant, and spacecraft operations manager for the 1989 launch and flight of the Magellan mission to Venus. He has developed operations concepts and designs for flight control centers as diverse as the Global Positioning System for the U.S. Air Force and the Transfer Orbit Stage control center at Kennedy Space Center.
He holds a M.S. degree in Aerospace Engineering Sciences from the University of Colorado. Since graduation, he has acquired over 30 years of experience in spacecraft mission design and flight operations, working in the Aerospace industry and in government service with NASA. In 1999 he was awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal for overseeing a record 10 Space Science launches in only 9 months. He received the NASA Medal of Outstanding Leadership for managing the Hubble Space Telescope program for the December 1993 First Servicing Mission repair of the in-flight observatory. In 1992, he received the NASA Public Service Medal for managing the Spacecraft Operations Team for NASA's highly successful Magellan radar mapping mission to Venus. He has authored several papers on spacecraft mission design and/or operations and is the co-author of a 1991 textbook on spacecraft flight operations entitled: "Design of Mission Operations Systems for Scientific Remote Sensing."
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