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Michael D. Griffin, the current NASA Administrator, and Shana Dale, the current NASA Deputy Administrator

The Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) is the highest-ranking official of that organization and serves as the senior space science adviser to the President of the United States. The current NASA Administrator is Michael D. Griffin, whose term started on April 14, 2005; he is the 11th person to hold the post. According to NASA, his role is to "lead the NASA team and manage its resources to advance the Vision for Space Exploration."^[1]

The first NASA Administrator was Dr. T. Keith Glennan; during his term he brought together the disparate projects in space development research in the US.^[2] Daniel Goldin held the post for the longest term, and is best known for pioneering the "faster, better, cheaper" approach to space programs.^[3] The only person to hold the post twice is James C. Fletcher, who returned to NASA following the Challenger disaster.^[4]

The current Deputy Administrator of NASA is Shana Dale, who started her term on November 4, 2005 and is also the 11th person to hold the post. According to NASA, "Dale serves as the agency’s second in command and is responsible to the administrator for providing overall leadership, planning, and policy direction for the agency. Dale represents NASA to the Executive Office of the President, Congress, heads of federal and other appropriate government agencies, international organizations, and external organizations and communities. Dale also oversees the day to day work of NASA’s functional offices, such as the Office of the Chief Financial Officer, Office of General Counsel and Strategic Communications."^[5]

The longest running (acting) Deputy Administrator was John R. Dailey, who held the post following his retirement from the United States Marine Corps.^[6] The longest running full Deputy Administrator was Hugh Latimer Dryden, who was the first Deputy Administrator.^[7] William R. Graham has held the post of Deputy Administrator twice, and was the Acting Administrator in between,^[8] as did Frederick D. Gregory.^[9] Dr. Daniel Mulville served as the acting Deputy Administrator twice, and was Acting Administrator in between.^[10]

[edit] Administrators

Photograph	Name	Term start	Term end	Term length	Ref(s)
	GlennanDr. T. Keith Glennan	1959-08-19August 19, 1958	1961-01-20January 20, 1961	0916916 days	[11]
	WebbJames E. Webb	1961-02-14February 14, 1961	1968-10-07October 7, 1968	27922,792 days	[11]
	PaineDr. Thomas O. Paine	1969-03-21March 21, 1969	1970-09-15September 15, 1970	0573573 days	[11]
	FletcherDr. James C. Fletcher	1971-04-27April 27, 1971	1977-05-01May 1, 1977	21962,196 days	[11]
	FroschDr. Robert A. Frosch	1977-06-21June 21, 1977	1981-01-20January 20, 1981	13091,309 days	[11]
	BeggsJames M. Beggs	1981-07-10July 10, 1981	1985-12-04December 4, 1985	16081,608 days	[11]
	GrahamDr. William R. Graham (acting)	1985-12-04December 4, 1985	1986-05-11May 11, 1986	0158158 days	[11]
	FletcherDr. James C. Fletcher	1986-05-12May 12, 1986	1989-04-08April 8, 1989	10621,062 days	[11]
	TrulyVAdm (Ret.) Richard H. Truly	1989-05-14May 14, 1989	1992-03-31March 31, 1992	10521,052 days	[11]
	GoldinDaniel S. Goldin	1992-04-01April 1, 1992	2001-11-17November 17, 2001	35173,517 days	[11]
	MulvilleDr. Daniel R. Mulville (acting)	2001-11-19November 19, 2001	2001-12-21December 21, 2001	003232 days	[11]
	O'KeefeSean O'Keefe	2001-12-21December 21, 2001	2005-02-11February 11, 2005	11481,148 days	[11]
	GregoryCol (Ret.) Frederick D. Gregory (acting)	2005-02-11February 11, 2005	2005-04-14April 14, 2005	006262 days	[11]
	GriffinDr. Michael D. Griffin	2005-04-14April 14, 2005	2008Present	—	[11]

[edit] Deputy Administrators

Photograph	Name	Term start	Term end	Term length	Ref(s)
	DrydenDr. Hugh L. Dryden	1958-08-19August 19, 1958	1965-12-02December 2, 1965	26622,662 days	[11]
	SeamansDr. Robert C. Seamans, Jr.	1965-12-21December 21, 1965	1968-01-05January 5, 1968	0745745 days	[11]
	PaineDr. Thomas O. Paine	1968-03-25March 25, 1968	1969-03-20March 20, 1969	0360360 days	[11]
	LowDr. George M. Low	1969-12-03December 3, 1969	1976-06-05June 5, 1976	23762,376 days	[11]
	LovelaceDr. Alan M. Lovelace	1976-07-02July 2, 1976	1981-07-10July 10, 1981	18341,834 days	[11]
	MarkDr. Hans Mark	1981-07-10July 10, 1981	1984-09-01September 1, 1984	11491,149 days	[11]
	GrahamDr. William R. Graham	1985-11-25November 25, 1985	1985-12-04December 4, 1985	00099 days	[11]
	GrahamDr. William R. Graham	1986-05-11May 11, 1986	1986-10-01October 1, 1986	0143143 days	[11]
	MyersDale D. Myers	1986-10-06October 6, 1986	1989-05-13May 13, 1989	0950950 days	[11]
	ThompsonJames R. Thompson, Jr.	1989-07-06July 6, 1989	1991-11-08November 8, 1991	0885885 days	[11]
	CohenAaron Cohen (acting)	1992-02-19February 19, 1992	1992-11-01November 1, 1992	0256256 days	[11]
	DaileyJohn R. Dailey (acting)	1992-11-03November 3, 1992	1999-12-31December 31, 1999	31733,173 days	[11]
	MulvilleDr. Daniel Mulville (acting)	2000-01-01January 1, 2000	2001-11-19November 19, 2001	0688688 days	[11]
	Mulville2Dr. Daniel Mulville (acting)	2001-12-21December 21, 2001	2002-08-11August 11, 2002	0233233 days	[11]
	GregoryFrederick D. Gregory	2002-08-12August 12, 2002	2005-02-20February 20, 2005	0923923 days	[11]
	Gregory2Frederick D. Gregory	2005-04-14April 14, 2005	2005-11-04November 4, 2005	0204204 days	[11]
	DaleShana Dale	2005-11-04November 4, 2005	2008Present	—	[11]

[edit] See also

• Chairmen of the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics
• NASA Chief Scientist

[edit] References

1. ^ "Biography of Michael D. Griffin, NASA Administrator". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
2. ^ "T. Keith Glennan biography". NASA (August 4, 2006). Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
3. ^ "Daniel S. Goldin biography". NASA (March 12, 2004). Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
4. ^ "James C. Fletcher biography". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
5. ^ "Biography of Shana Dale, NASA Deputy Administrator". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.
6. ^ "General John Dailey biography". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
7. ^ "Hugh L. Dryden biography". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
8. ^ "William R. Graham biography". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
9. ^ "Frederick D. Gregory". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
10. ^ "Daniel Mulville biography". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-05.
11. ^ ^{a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z aa ab ac ad ae} "List of Administrators and Deputy Administrators of NASA". NASA. Retrieved on 2008-07-04.