Washington, February 20 (HS): Astronaut Jim Free, an important pillar of the US space agency 'National Aeronautics and Space Administration' (NASA), announced his retirement on Wednesday after nearly three decades of service. Associate Administrator Jim Free will leave NASA from February 22. The NASA website discusses Associate Administrator Jim Free's decision in detail and discusses his achievements.
The NASA website states that during his tenure as Associate Administrator from January 2024, NASA added nearly two dozen new signatories to the Artemis Accords. Enabled the agency's first landing on the moon through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. Launched the Europa Clipper mission to study the moon in Jupiter's icy ocean. Molecules containing ingredients for life were found in samples of asteroid Bennu delivered to Earth by NASA's OSIRIS-REx (Genesis). NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro says Free put the mission first throughout his career. He showed unwavering commitment during his three-decade tenure. Free paved a new path to bring samples back from Mars before human missions to the Red Planet. Supported crews living and working on the International Space Station. Connected industry in new ways to NASA's Volcanic Exploration Polar Exploration Rover mission on the Moon.
Astronaut Free said it was an honor to serve NASA and run with that workforce. He is grateful for the opportunity to be part of the NASA family and contribute to the agency's mission for the benefit of humanity.
Before being named NASA Associate Administrator, Free served as the Associate Administrator of the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. During this time oversaw the successful Artemis I mission and the development of NASA's Moon-to-Mars architecture. Planned the integrated deep space exploration approach for the agency's Artemis mission. Free began his NASA career in 1990 as an engineer. After working on the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite at the Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland, he moved to the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland. He made significant contributions to the development of the International Space Station and the Orion spacecraft before moving to NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston in 2008.
Astronaut Jim Free returned to NASA Glenn in 2009 and was promoted to head the Space Flight Systems Directorate. Free was named deputy center director in November 2010. Served as center director from January 2013 to March 2016. He has been a senior advisor to NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro. He has been leading 10 NASA center directors as well as associate administrators of the Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington. He is also credited with serving as the chief operating officer of the space agency with more than 18,000 employees. Not only this, he has coordinated an annual budget of more than $ 25 billion.
Free, a native of northeast Ohio, earned a bachelor's degree in aeronautics from Miami University and a master's degree in space systems engineering from Delft University of Technology in the Netherlands. Free has received the Presidential Rank Award, NASA Distinguished Service Medal, NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, NASA Exceptional Service Medal, NASA Significant Achievement Medal and many other awards.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
