Lockheed Martin announced that Pam Melroy has joined the Exploration and Science team as Director and Deputy Program Manager of the Space Exploration Initiatives (SEI) Program Office.

(Photo: http://www.newscom.com/cgi-bin/prnh/20090813/PH61212 )

Melroy is a veteran Space Shuttle Commander and Air Force test pilot. She has flown three Space Shuttle Missions, served as the Deputy Project Manager for the Columbia crew survival investigation and the Reconstruction Lead on the Columbia Crew Module. She served as a lead test pilot for development of the C-17 aircraft and most recently has been working as the Branch Chief for the Astronaut office working on the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle.

"We are extremely pleased to have a person of Pam Melroy's background and capabilities to support the Orion Program and to help lead the business in space exploration," said Rick Hieb, Vice President Lockheed Martin IS&GS -- Civil, Exploration & Science programs. "Pam's extensive knowledge of the human space program will play a critical role in helping our customers meet their future space mission challenges."

Lockheed Martin is building Orion, the next generation space vehicle for NASA, which will take humans to the Space Station, to the moon, and on to Mars.

Melroy received a BA in Physics and Astronomy from Wellesley College and a MS in Earth and Planetary Sciences from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Headquartered in Bethesda, Md., Lockheed Martin is a global security company that employs about 146,000 people worldwide and is principally engaged in the research, design, development, manufacture, integration and sustainment of advanced technology systems, products and services. The corporation reported 2008 sales of $42.7 billion.

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SOURCE: Lockheed Martin