at NASA
Houston, Texas Area
- Current
- Past
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- Special Assistant to the ISS Program Manager at NASA
- Orion Project Manager at NASA
- Program Integration Manager, International Space Station Program at NASA
- Project Manager, International Space Station Program at NASA
- Systems Verification Manager, Space Station Freedom at NASA
- Principal Quality Engineer at Grumman
- Program Manager at Ferranti International Defense Systems
- Senior Quality Engineer at Martin Marietta Baltimore Aerospace
- Quality Engineer at Westinghouse Defense Electronics
- Atomic Demolition Munitions Specialist at US Army
- Education
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- The Johns Hopkins University
- Anne Arundel Community College
- Connections
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230
connections
- Industry
- Aviation & Aerospace
Skip Hatfield’s Summary
Accomplished executive technical and program manager with over 25 years of experience in the aerospace and defense industries.
Extensive experience in human spaceflight with major roles on the International Space Station and Constellation Programs, including serving as Project Manager of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle. Defense industry experience includes program management for electronic safe and arm systems, as well as manufacturing and quality engineering experience on naval missile launch systems and airborne radar systems.
Frequently called on to manage challenging technology and business situations based on vast industry knowledge, big-picture thinking, strong technical acumen and capacity to consistently “get the job done” despite seemingly insurmountable obstacles.
Skip Hatfield’s Specialties:
Large-scale Program and Project Management, risk management/project analysis, systems engineering & integration, requirements development, spacecraft design, development, and test, international partner collaboration, strategic planning, virtual organizations, public speaking and communication, mentoring.
Skip Hatfield’s Experience
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Project Manager, ISS Common Docking Adapter
NASA
(Government Agency; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
May 2009 — Present (8 months)
Assigned to stand up a program to design, develop, build, and fly a docking adapter for spacecraft visiting the International Space Station. The docking system will be built to a new international standard, allowing vehicles from multiple nations (including commercial vehicles) to dock at ISS. Will return to my regular assignment as ISS S&MA manager in about six months once the project is established.
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Manager, International Space Station Safety & Mission Assurance/Risk Management Office
NASA
(Aviation & Aerospace industry)
January 2009 — Present (1 year )
Leading the international team responsible for safety, reliability, quality assurance, and risk management for the International Space Station Program.
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Advisory Council Member for Program/Project Managment Development Program
NASA
(Government Agency; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
January 2009 — Present (1 year )
Helping to shape the program and curriculum to develop NASA's future program managers.
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Special Assistant to the ISS Program Manager
NASA
(Government Agency; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
December 2007 — January 2009 (1 year 2 months)
Supported the International Space Station Program Manager in managing and implementing the International Space Station Program. Participating in weekly decision meetings, providing key input on technical issues and represent the Program Manager on evaluation and overseeing resolution of high visibility areas. Also involved with developing the next generation of program/project managers.
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Orion Project Manager
NASA
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
March 2006 — December 2007 (1 year 10 months)
Directed the initial implementation of the Orion Crew Exploration Vehicle, NASA's replacement for the Space Shuttle. Organized the program to take advantage of NASA and contractor resources across the country using virtual teams, awarded the prime contract to Lockheed Martin, and directed the implementation of key ground facilities, including a new factory located in the historic O&C building at KSC, new qualification facilities at Plum Brook Station in Ohio, and the avionics facility located at JSC.
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Program Integration Manager, International Space Station Program
NASA
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
June 2004 — March 2006 (1 year 10 months)
Program Integration manages the overall configuration, assembly, and performance requirements for the International Space Station. This includes the Systems Engineering and Integration function for the ISS Spacecraft, and technical integration of the International elements into ISS (Canada, Europe, Japan, and for some time Brazil). During my tenure, I led the effort to define the final configuration of the ISS with the International Partner's Program Managers after the U.S. decision to cease Space Shuttle flights in 2010.
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Project Manager, International Space Station Program
NASA
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
January 1994 — June 2004 (10 years 6 months)
After the Freedom program closed out, I transferred to Johnson Space Center and joined the International Space Station Program Office. I have manged a number of major projects and portfolios of projects, beginning with the inboard truss segments (3 full Space Shuttle sized elements along with two half Shuttle elements). I then moved to lead the robotics program, where working with the Canadian Space Agency we successfully built, tested, and integrated and flew a number of elements including the large Candarm2 manipulator. I led the development of the unpressurized cargo systems used to fly, store, and return large science and system spares to the ISS.
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Systems Verification Manager, Space Station Freedom
NASA
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; Aviation & Aerospace industry)
January 1992 — January 1994 (2 years 1 month)
Transferred over to civil service for NASA in the Safety & Mission Assurance Office (then known as SR&QA) at the Space Station Freedom Program Office in Reston, VA. Represented S&MA as the Freedom program worked to establish it's verification strategy. Since Freedom (and now the ISS) is the first major spacecraft to be assembled in orbit, verification needed to consider everything from the traditional component through spacecraft test and analysis, but also how to assure the integrated spacecraft would be verified.
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Principal Quality Engineer
Grumman
(Public Company; 10,001 or more employees; Defense & Space industry)
March 1990 — January 1992 (1 year 11 months)
With this job, I moved from the DoD world into human spaceflight at NASA. Grumman was responsible for System Engineering and Integration on the Space Station Freedom Program; as principal quality engineer I worked with NASA to develop the quality assurance requirements for the program, and then assured compliance with the requirements across all of the program contractor and NASA field centers. Since I had previous program management experience, I managed the office integrated planning and scheduling for the SR&QA director.
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Program Manager
Ferranti International Defense Systems
(Defense & Space industry)
April 1987 — March 1990 (3 years )
Started with the company as a manufacturing engineering manager (then known as International Signal and Control). Became program manager for the company's electronic safe and arm system product line. This product line included second source production of electronic bomb fuses for the U.S military, as well as systems for an overseas missile program.
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Senior Quality Engineer
Martin Marietta Baltimore Aerospace
(Defense & Space industry)
March 1986 — April 1987 (1 year 2 months)
Primarily worked the Mk41 Navy Vertical Launch System. Established the quality assurance program for a new circuit board assembly line in support of this program, including supplier oversight, receiving, automatic and manual component installation, soldering, cleaning, and board test. This assembly line was set up in a facility that historically manufactured metallic components and did final assembly and integration of major aircraft, ship, and missile systems.
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Quality Engineer
Westinghouse Defense Electronics
(Defense & Space industry)
September 1981 — March 1986 (4 years 7 months)
Worked on the F-16 (APG-66 and APG-68), B1, and DIVADS radar systems, primarily on antenna systems. Worked with suppliers, and internal assembly and test to resolve non-conformance and assure all hardware and software was compliant with technical requirements. Lead a team of engineering, manufacturing, and inspection personnel to correct problems with circuit board assemblies (both plated through hole and surface mount technologies) and eliminated a 1 year backlog in 6 months.
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Atomic Demolition Munitions Specialist
US Army
(Government Agency; 10,001 or more employees; USA; Military industry)
February 1975 — September 1981 (6 years 8 months)
Squad Leader for Atomic Demolition Munitions emplacement team. During the cold war, small nuclear weapons (ADM) would have been used to delay the advance of Warsaw Pact forces across Europe.
Skip Hatfield’s Education
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The Johns Hopkins University
Bachelors , Mechanical Engineering , 1983 — 1986
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Anne Arundel Community College
AA , Engineering , 1973 — 1982
Interrupted education with 6 1/2 years serving in the U.S. Army
Additional Information
Skip Hatfield’s Interests:
Professional: Program/Project Management, Systems Engineering, Leadership Personal: Microprocessors/Electronics, Home improvement, reading
Skip Hatfield’s Groups:
America Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics
National Management Association
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Space Robotics -
NASA -
The Official American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA) -
Johns Hopkins University Whiting School of Engineering -
International Space Station -
NASA Constellation Program
Skip Hatfield’s Honors:
NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal
Space Flight Awareness Leadership Award
2005 Stellar Award Nominee
Johnson Space Center Directors Commendation
Multiple NASA/JSC Group Achievement Awards
Skip Hatfield’s Contact Settings
Interested In:
- career opportunities
- consulting offers
- expertise requests
- reference requests
- getting back in touch
