PROGRAMS:

LOCATIONS:

Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL

POSITIONS:

MSFC Materials Division Chief
MSFC Chief engineer for mechanical systems in the development of Skylab.
MSFC Associate director for engineering in the Center's Science and Engineering Directorate 1974-1975
MSFC Director Science and Engineering Directorate 1975-1986

COMMENTS:

James E. Kingsbury was director of the Science and Engineering Directorate at NASA’s George C. Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Ala. Born in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., in 1928, Kingsbury attended schools in that state. In 1951, he received a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering from Pennsylvania State University. The same year, Kingsbury was drafted into the US Army and stationed to joined the rocket research and development team at Redstone Arsenal, Ala., where he became directly involved in the design and development of the Redstone, Jupiter, Juno, Pershing, and Saturn class launch vehicles. He transferred to NASA in July 1960 when the Army Ballistic Missile Agency became the nucleus for the establishment of the George C. Marshall Space Flight Center. At the Marshall Center, Kingsbury has served in various technical and management positions. He served as chief of the Center’s Materials Division at the time of the Apollo 11 lunar landing and was the chief engineer for mechanical systems in the development of Skylab. In June 1974, he became associate director for engineering in the Center’s Science and Engineering Directorate. He assumed his present position in April 1975. Kingsbury has authored many technical papers dealing with design and materials selection for space vehicles and was a contributing author to the Handbook of Astronautical Engineering published by McGraw-Hill in 1962. In recognition of his contributions to the development of the Saturn launch vehicles and the Skylab program, Kingsbury received the NASA Medal for Exceptional Service in September 1969, the NASA Medal for Distinguished Service in April 1973, and the 1973 Herman Oberth award from the Alabama section of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA). In May 1979, he was elected to the grade of Fellow in the American Astronautical Society. In September 1980, he was honored as recipient of the Presidential Rank of Meritorious Executive in the Senior Executive Service for sustained accomplishment. In May 1981, he was named a Fellow by the AIAA for contributions to astronautics through pioneering achievements in materials research and application and through design and development of rocket systems, space launch vehicles and spacecraft. In 1973 and again in 1981, Mr. Kingsbury received NASA’s highest award, the Distinguished Service Medal, for his contributions to the first flight of the Space Shuttle. On Dec. 17, 1984, President Reagan presented Mr. Kingsbury with the 1984 Distinguished Executive Presidential Rank for exemplary performance. In 1986 he was selected as NASA’s Federal Engineer of the year recipient and later in that year he received the National Space Club award as the astronautics engineer for his many contributions to NASA programs over 25 years.