WASHINGTON (NASA PR) — NASA has selected Howard Hu as the Orion Program manager, based at the agency’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. In this role, he will be responsible for the design, development, production, and operations of the agency’s Orion, which is poised to make its first uncrewed flight test around the Moon in the coming months. Hu begins his new position effective Monday.

Hu succeeds Catherine Koerner, who has accepted a position as deputy associate administrator for Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

“The Orion team is comprised of highly talented and dedicated individuals across NASA, the European Space Agency, and industry,” Hu said. “It is an honor to have the opportunity to help lead our teams as we are set to begin our Artemis voyages to deep space. With the upcoming Artemis I mission, we are on the cusp of another major milestone toward NASA’s goals of landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon and preparing for human missions to Mars.”

HOUSTON (NASA PR) — NASA has selected Catherine Koerner as manager of the agency’s Orion Program. In this role, she will be responsible for the development and operations of NASA’s newest spacecraft that will carry astronauts on Artemis missions to the Moon and return them safely to Earth. Koerner begins her new position effective Tuesday, Sept. 8.

“I’m honored to be selected as the Orion Program Manager. Orion is a key element of the agency’s Artemis infrastructure, and I look forward to leading the team responsible for developing and building America’s deep space human spacecraft,” Koerner said. “Next year we’ll be launching the Artemis I test flight – a major milestone – and the first of the Artemis mission series on our way to putting the first woman and the next man on the Moon.”