posted 07-14-2008 08:55 AM               

Effective immediately, Colonel John H. Casper is named Associate Manager, Space Shuttle Program.

As Associate Manager, Colonel Casper will assist the program manager and deputy manager as required for the management, integration, and operations of the Space Shuttle Program. He will also be the focal point for independent assessments of SSP activities by external audit and review groups.

Colonel Casper earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering Sciences from the U.S. Air Force Academy and a Master of Science degree in Astronautics from Purdue University. During his Air Force career he was a fighter pilot with 229 combat missions, test pilot and commander of a flight test squadron, and project manager at Air Force headquarters. He was selected to be an astronaut in1984. A veteran of four space flights, he was the pilot on STS-36 and commander on STS-54, STS-62 and STS-77. He has also served in positions of increasing responsibility at JSC. He was Director of Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance; senior advisor to the Columbia Mishap Investigation Team; Deputy of NASA's Return to Flight Planning Team; and is currently Manager of the Space Shuttle Program's Management Integration and Planning Office.

Colonel Casper will continue to serve as Manager of the Management Integration and Planning Office until a successor is selected.

posted 12-21-2008 02:23 PM               

The elder Col. Casper won numerous medals and commendations for service in the U.S. Air Force and held positions of responsibility, including commander of the 918th Military Airlift Group (Reserve) at Dobbins Air Reserve Base in the late 1960s. But he was especially proud of flying combat missions in three wars, his son said.

"He was happiest being one of the guys flying in the team," his son said. "He felt this was what he was born to do. The cockpit was his office."

The elder Col. Casper, 88, of Gainesville died Thursday of complications from a series of strokes at Gold City Convalescent Center in Dahlonega. The funeral will be 2 p.m. today in the chapel of McDonald & Son Funeral Home in Cumming.