NASA has selected veteran astronaut Joe Akaba to lead the astronaut office at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. A decorated veteran of multiple space flights, as well as a former US Marine and former teacher, Acaba is the first person of Hispanic descent selected to lead the office.
Aqaba succeeds NASA astronaut Drew Feustel, who served as deputy chief for two years and served as acting office chief after NASA astronaut Reid Wiseman left the post late last year.
“Congratulations to Joe Akaba on his appointment as the new head of the astronaut office! Joe is an experienced spacewalker and a proven leader, and he is sure to inspire the next generation of NASA astronauts. As we build on the unprecedented success of the International Space Station in low Earth orbit, looking to the Moon and then to Mars, Joe will play a critical role in ensuring our NASA astronauts are ready for the challenges ahead,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson. “I also want to thank Reid Wiseman for his continued leadership and Drew Feustel for stepping in to continue the office’s long legacy of excellence and integrity.”
In his new role, Akaba will be responsible for managing astronaut resources and operations. He will also help develop astronaut flight crew concepts and assign crew for future spaceflights, including astronauts assigned to fly on the Artemis mission.
“Our team at Johnson Space Center congratulates Joe Acaba on his appointment as Chief of the Astronaut Office. We wish him well as he takes on this new and exciting leadership role,” said NASA Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche. “I express my sincere gratitude to Reid Wiseman for his dedicated service to the Astronaut Office, as he accomplished the enormous task of preparing our astronaut squad for daring missions to and from the International Space Station, and bringing together their experience and space knowledge to develop and test future technologies, software, and procedures to make space travel safer, more reliable, more comfortable, and more affordable for our nation’s explorers. Special thanks to Drew Feustel for leading our astronaut squad after Reid’s replacement.
A veteran of three space flights, Akaba was born in Inglewood, California. He received a bachelor’s degree in geology from the University of California, Santa Barbara, one master’s degree in geology from the University of Arizona, and one in education, curriculum and instruction from Texas Tech University, Lubbock. Prior to being selected as an astronaut candidate in 2004, Akaba served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Peace Corps Reserves, as a hydrogeologist, and as a middle and high school teacher.
“Joe is an outstanding leader who brings a wealth of experience to the astronaut office,” said NASA Flight Operations Director Norm Knight, who made the selection. “Knowing the importance of this position and the integrity of those who have served before, I am confident that Joe will be an outstanding leader of the Astronaut Office who will successfully lead our astronauts into an exciting future.”
Aqaba spent 306 days in space as a mission specialist on Space Shuttle Discovery STS-119 and as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station for Expeditions 31 and 32 in 2012 and Expeditions 53 and 54 in 2017-2018. During that time, he participated in three spacewalks, building and upgrading the space station, and supported the arrival of the first commercial resupply spacecraft, the SpaceX Dragon, in May 2012. He was aboard the station when its standard crew size increased from three to six, allowing NASA and its international partners to double the time devoted to research. After returning to Earth, he supported the Astronaut Office in a number of roles, including director of Russian operations and chief of the Vehicle Integration Test Division.
