WASHINGTON D.C. (BNO NEWS) – The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) appointed on Friday Ramon “Ray” Lugo III as the new Director of the Glenn Research Center in Cleveland effective on July 18.

Lugo has been the acting director of Glenn since March. As director, he is responsible for planning, organizing and leading the activities needed to accomplish the missions assigned to the center. The Glenn Center has research, technology and systems development programs in space propulsion, space power, space communications, aeronautical propulsion and microgravity sciences.

“Ray is a tremendous leader who brings decades of experience and important skills to this job,” NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said. “I’m confident with him at the helm Glenn will continue to excel in all of the activities that take place there.”

In November 2007, Lugo was named deputy director at Glenn. Previously, he was the deputy manager of the Launch Services Program at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida. He began his career in NASA as a cooperative education student in 1975.

During his NASA career, Lugo has been awarded with two NASA Exceptional Achievement Medals for contributions to the Galileo mission and International Space Station redesign, and three NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals for his service in the Expendable Launch Vehicle Program.

(Copyright 2010 by BNO News B.V. All rights reserved. Info: sales@bnonews.com.)