Heather Rarick

NASA Flight Director, Mission Control, JSFC

Heather Rarick is a Flight Director for human space flights from Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston, a position to which she was appointed in 2006.  In this role Heather joins an elite group of individuals – in the entire history of NASA only less than 70 people have held this position.

In a press release announcing Heather’s appointment, the Chief of NASA’s Flight Directors Office said that Heather possesses “the leadership skills necessary to ensure NASA accomplishes its near-term exploration goals of completing the space station, safely flying the shuttle through retirement and returning to the moon.”

Prior to assuming her current position, Heather Rarick was the chairperson of the Russian Joint Operations Panel, which works on upcoming events and addresses long-term resolution of U.S./Russian operational issues.

She began her career as an ascent flight design engineer for the space shuttle at Rockwell Space Operations Co. in Houston. She also supported Mission Control as a targeting operator for shuttle launch and ascents.

Heather earned her Bachelor of Science in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1987 and a master’s degree in business administration from the University of Houston-Clear Lake in 1992.  She was nominated for the award by Dr. George Lesieutre, Head of the Aerospace Department.