posted 06-07-2016 02:19 PM               

Thomas died after a long illness at a hospital near his home in Collierville, Tennessee.

James A. Thomas was appointed as Deputy Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center on January 5, 1990. His duties are to assist the Center Director in management of the Kennedy Space Center.

Born in Meridian, Mississippi, Thomas received his BSEE degree from Mississippi State University in 1962, and was graduated from Florida State University with an MSM in Technical Management in 1973.

Thomas, who goes by the nickname "Gene," joined NASA in 1962. From February 1987 to January 1990, he was the Director of Safety, Reliability and Quality Assurance at KSC. He was responsible for developing and implementing overall safety policy and procedures at KSC, and related activities at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station and Vandenberg Air Force Base.

From September 1985 until December 1986, he served as Acting Director, and subsequently, Director of Shuttle Launch and Landing Operations, holding the position of Launch Director for Shuttle missions 51-J (STS-28) through 51-L (STS-33).

Between November 1977 and June 1983, Thomas was Lead Orbiter Flight Project Engineer for OV 102, Columbia. In June, he became Chief, Shuttle Flight Project Engineer, Shuttle Engineering Directorate, with overall responsibility for integration of all testing and checkout of Shuttle orbiters, external tanks, and solid rocket booster flight hardware. He served in this position through August 1985.

During the Orbiter Vehicle 101 (Enterprise) Approach and Landing Tests conducted in 1976 and 1977 at Edwards Air Force Base, California, Thomas served as the Lead Flight Project Engineer for KSC's ALT Engineering Team.

The team was responsible for the site activation of the orbiter hangar and Mate-Demate Device (MDD) at NASA's Dryden Flight Research Facility in preparation for preflight servicing and checkout of the Enterprise.

He served as lead engineer for prelaunch testing and checkout of communications systems on the Apollo spacecraft.

In 1981, Thomas received the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, the Outstanding Leadership Medal in 1988, the NASA Meritorious Service Award in 1992, and in 1994, the NASA Equal Employment Opportunity Medal.

Thomas and his wife, the former Juanita Purvis, live on Merritt Island, Florida. They have two daughters, Karen and Wendy; a son, Chuck; and four grandchildren.