NASA names three new flight directors

HOUSTON, June 15 (UPI) -- The U.S. space agency has appointed three new flight directors to manage shuttle flights and International Space Station expeditions.

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration said the three -- Dina Contella, Scott Stover and Ed Van Cise -- will join the group of individuals who lead human spaceflights from Mission Control at NASA's Johnson Space Center in Houston.

"Since the first flight director, Chris Kraft, was selected during the Mercury era, 77 men and women have served as flight directors," said John McCullough, chief of the Flight Director Office at Johnson. "Dina, Scott and Ed are senior flight controllers who have lead management experience and an average of 10 years of flight control experience."

NASA said a flight director's duties include leading planning and integration activities with flight controllers, payload customers and international partners, as well as orchestrating technical and program support across the agency. Flight directors also are involved in developing plans and reviewing systems for future Constellation Program exploration missions.

All of the recently selected individuals will begin training as space station flight directors.