Jim Free, associate administrator at NASA, is set to retire on Feb. 22 after three decades of service.
The agency said Wednesday Free will step down as the senior advisor to Janet Petro, NASA’s acting administrator. The veteran executive will also relinquish his other duties including overseeing all 10 center directors and the mission directorate associate administrators at the NASA headquarters in Washington and leading more than 18,000 personnel as chief operating officer.
Jim Free’s Legacy
The outgoing executive first joined the agency in 1990 and has held a variety of leadership roles. He was appointed NASA associate administrator in January 2024, succeeding Bob Cabana. Under his leadership, the agency accomplished the first lunar landing through the Commercial Lunar Payload Services initiative. NASA also launched the Europa Clipper mission, studied Jupiter’s moon and discovered molecules with the ingredients for life in asteroid Bennu samples.
Free previously served as the associate administrator for the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, where he spearheaded the development of the Moon to Mars architecture. He was also responsible for the systems development for the Artemis program.
Before his latest stint at NASA, Free worked in the private sector as a self-employed consultant and vice president of the Aerospace Systems Group at Peerless Technologies. Prior to this, Free worked at NASA’s Glenn Research Center for over seven years, most recently as its director. He first joined NASA in 1990 as an engineer.
“A remarkable engineer and a decisive leader, he combines deep technical expertise with an unwavering commitment to this agency’s mission. Jim’s legacy is one of selfless service, steadfast leadership, and a belief in the power of people,” said Petro.
