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By NASA
With over 34 years of experience in human spaceflight, Mark Sonoda has witnessed some of NASA’s most pivotal moments, from the startup of the International Space Station to the retirement of the space shuttle. As the acting associate program manager for the Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP), he is set to help guide NASA through another monumental period: the commercialization of space.
Official portrait of Mark Sonoda. NASA/Bill Stafford Sonoda’s new role grants extraordinary opportunities to shape the future of human spaceflight. While NASA has maintained a leading presence in low Earth orbit since 1961, Sonoda shared how CLDP is “working to establish commercial low Earth orbit destinations owned and operated by private companies, where NASA is just one of many customers. This shift will open doors to even more advancements and benefits for humanity.”
Sonoda plans to leverage his decades of experience to support the growth of CLDP as it moves from early planning stages into a more operational phase. Specifically, he will apply his expertise in systems engineering and leadership to helping certify commercial destinations in low Earth orbit. One of his priorities is ensuring that the program team is set up for success with the right personnel, infrastructure, and resources to be successful as it grows.
Mark Sonoda visits the Lincoln Memorial during a trip to Washington, DC. Sonoda’s NASA experience has offered him many valuable lessons, the most important of which is the power of teamwork. He recalls a time when, as a station training lead, he realized that even the most well-prepared plans benefit from team collaboration. “A good team will always be stronger than an individual,” he shared, noting that the strength of NASA lies in its collective effort.
Looking ahead, Sonoda anticipates exciting opportunities to foster commercial partnerships. He is particularly optimistic that increased access to space for private companies and individuals will cultivate new innovations and public interest in space exploration. At the same time, he acknowledges that NASA must adapt to its new role in low Earth orbit, transitioning from being the primary driver of exploration to becoming one of many customers in a thriving commercial ecosystem.
Mark Sonoda is with his family. For the Artemis Generation, Sonoda hopes to pass on a legacy of inspiration and resilience. “I hope to leave behind a future where challenges are seen not as barriers, but as opportunities to make the world a better place.”
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By NASA
As systems integration team lead for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program (CLDP), Hector Chavez helps build a future where NASA and private industry work together to push the boundaries of space exploration.
With the rise of commercial providers in the space sector, Chavez’s team works to ensure that these companies can develop end-to-end systems to support NASA’s low Earth orbit operations—from transporting crew and cargo to operating mission centers. His team’s role is to assess how commercial providers are using their systems engineering processes to achieve program goals and objectives.
Official portrait of Hector Chavez. NASA/David DeHoyos With a background that spans both the National Nuclear Security Administration and NASA, Chavez brings knowledge and insight into working with interdisciplinary teams to create complex, reliable systems. He has collaborated across organizations, contracts, and government to ensure design and operational improvements were carried out safely and reliably.
“Systems integration brings different systems together to deliver capabilities that can’t be achieved alone,” said Chavez.
His previous role in NASA’s Safety and Mission Assurance office deepened his expertise in mitigating technical risks in human spaceflight by integrating engineering, health, and safety considerations into the development of space exploration vehicles.
Hector Chavez and the team prepare to lift and install a receiver telescope assembly for the Optical Development System, used to test the alignment and performance of the optical systems for NASA’s Ice, Cloud, and land Elevation Satellite-2 mission, in a clean room at Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland.NASA Now with CLDP, Chavez helps these companies navigate NASA’s design processes without stifling innovation. “Our challenge is to communicate what we’ve identified during technical reviews without prohibiting commercial partners from developing innovative solutions,” he said.
One recent success was the team’s development of two technical standards for docking systems and payload interfaces that will help ensure these systems’ compatibility with existing technologies. This work is essential in allowing commercial low Earth orbit systems to seamlessly integrate with NASA’s heritage designs, a key step toward realizing the agency’s vision for sustained commercial operations in space.
When asked about the biggest opportunities and challenges in his role, Chavez emphasizes the importance of early collaboration. By engaging with commercial partners at the early stages of the system development life cycle, NASA can provide feedback that shapes the future of commercial low Earth orbit architecture.
“We identify technical issues and lessons learned without dictating design solutions, allowing for innovation while ensuring safety and reliability,” explained Chavez.
Hector Chavez receives an award from the U.S. Department of Energy. Chavez’s approach to leadership and teamwork is rooted in his values of perseverance, integrity, and encouragement. These principles have helped guide the development of CLDP’s mission and vision statements, creating an environment that promotes collaboration and creativity.
He is passionate about building a team culture where people feel empowered to take responsible risks and explore solutions.
Hector Chavez receives a Silver Snoopy Award with his family at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA As NASA prepares for Artemis missions and the next generation of space explorers, Chavez offers advice to the Artemis Generation: “Never do it alone. Build a community and find common ground to share a vision.”
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By NASA
Christy Hansen’s journey with NASA spans more than two decades and is marked by roles that have shaped her into a leader in space exploration. Now serving on a six-month rotation as the deputy manager for NASA’s CLDP (Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program) at Johnson Space Center in Houston, she brings 25 years of human spaceflight experience and a global perspective on Earth sciences to her role.
Prior to her rotation, she served as the Artemis deputy mission manager in the Moon to Mars Program Office at NASA Headquarters in Washington, where she supported Artemis missions and facilitated the integration of science and utilization activities into the mission architecture and planning.
Hansen now leverages her vast expertise to advance NASA’s commercial space initiatives and support the agency’s long-term goals.
Christy Hansen serves a six-month rotation as deputy manager for NASA’s Commercial Low Earth Orbit Development Program at Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA/Bill Hrybyk She is no stranger to Johnson. From 1999 to 2010, Hansen worked as an operations engineer in Johnson’s Flight Operations Directorate, focusing on astronaut training and flight control. She developed procedures, planned spacewalks, and trained astronauts to work in space suits with specialty tools on Space Shuttle, International Space Station, and Hubble Space Telescope missions. She was instrumental in supporting real-time operations as a flight controller for space station assembly missions and the final mission to service Hubble in 2009.
In 2010, Hansen became the operations manager at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland for the Robotic Refueling Mission, a technology demonstration payload that flew to the orbiting laboratory on STS-135. By 2012 she transitioned to airborne science project management at Goddard, leading multiple missions including Operation IceBridge’s first deployment to Antarctica. Her work focused on studying changes in Earth’s ice sheets and sea ice in Greenland and Antarctica, where she collaborated with scientists, engineers, and managers to design aircraft-based Earth science missions.
Christy Hansen at Antarctica’s geographic south pole in 2012. Faced with her husband’s diagnosis of amyotrophic lateral sclerosis in 2014, Hansen drew on her vast experience and passion for engineering to solve a deeply personal issue on the ground. Combining her technical expertise and pioneering spirit, she led an effort to bring eye-gaze technology to Goddard, enabling individuals with neurodegenerative disabilities to continue working without the use of their hands or voice.
Her husband, Dave Parker, an engineer at Goddard who worked on all hubble servicing missions and tech demo payloads on the space station, was determined to keep working even when he could not use his arms, legs, hands, or voice. Together, they researched and pushed for this capability, ensuring that the technology could help many others in similar situations.
After collaborating with Goddard information technology and the commercial-off-the-shelf Tobi eye gaze company, they managed to implement the system within a year. Parker worked for a year and a half using this technology and supported the real-time installation of space station hardware he helped design from his hospital bed before passing away in March 2021.
Hansen continues to work with NASA’s Office of Diversity and Equal Opportunity to make this a standard accommodation option.
In her new role, she aims to support the development of an innovative acquisition strategy that fosters a robust commercial low Earth orbit environment. “I look forward to working with the CLDP team and our stakeholders to develop a creative and smart approach that enables a commercially led and operated low Earth orbit destination,” she said. “This includes fostering an open dialogue across disciplines, including critical tech authorities, programs, our industry and international partners, and Johnson and headquarters leadership. We can only go great places together.”
Her background in human spaceflight and science missions has given her a unique perspective. “I truly enjoy building partnerships and working across broad teams to achieve amazing goals,” she said. “This diversity of experience gave me an understanding of the critical goals, priorities, and culture of our key NASA stakeholders – and how we must integrate and work together to achieve the NASA mission.”
Through her career, she has learned to be open to new ideas and ways of doing things. “Be curious and proactively create space for all voices to be heard; there is more than one way to do things, and you must be open and receptive to different communication styles and experiences,” she said. “I lean on my broad experiences wherever I go.”
Christy Hansen at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Maryland during her time as the project manager for NASA’s Operation IceBridge. NASA/Bill Hrybyk For young girls interested in a career in space, her advice is clear: “Go, go, go! You will face challenges and hurdles, but human spaceflight and NASA need your ideas, experiences, and energy. You uniquely bring momentum in a way others cannot – so don’t compare yourself to others. Study and do what you love – as that will get you through the hard times.”
Looking ahead, she is eager to help make space accessible and affordable to all, enabling a broader and diverse field of future flyers. “These destinations will enable critical science, human research, and tech development – important steppingstones to help us achieve our goals of landing on the Moon again and ultimately going to Mars,” she said. “No matter how dynamic and challenging our work is, my passion for human spaceflight and the NASA mission is inherently part of me.”
The agency’s commercial strategy for low Earth orbit will provide the government with reliable and safe services at a lower cost and enable the agency to focus on Artemis missions to the Moon in preparation for Mars while also continuing to use low Earth orbit as a training and proving ground for those deep space missions.
Learn more about NASA’s commercial space strategy at:
https://www.nasa.gov/humans-in-space/commercial-space/
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By NASA
About
In its functional leadership role, the Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group supports policy-level interactions with other elements of Government; provides specialized guidance and advice to the Offices of the General Counsel at NASA Field Centers regarding contract award, administration and litigation matters; and develops and coordinates NASA legal policy in these areas.
As a functional office to the NASA Administrator, the Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group provides legal advice regarding Headquarters-level contract selection, administration and termination decisions; drafts or comments on proposed legislation, regulations and executive orders; represents NASA in interagency meetings or bodies such as the Defense Acquisition Regulation (DAR) Council; and answers correspondence for the Administrator concerning contractual matters.
The Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Practice Group provides central services to organizations within NASA, principally legal advice and counsel to the NASA Office of Procurement and other Headquarters Offices regarding the statutes, regulations and policies governing Federal Government contracting. Central services provided by the Practice Group also include representing the agency in bid protests and contract-related litigation before the Government Accountability Office (GAO), the Court of Federal Claims (COFC), and the United States District Courts; disputes before the Armed Services Board of Contract Appeals (ASBCA); and, ultimately, any appeals of these decisions to the United States Courts of Appeals, including the Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit.
Contacts
Associate General Counsel:
Scott Barber
Deputy Associate General Counsel:
Tory Kauffman
Tel: 202-358-4455
Director, Acquisition Integrity Program:
Monica Aquino-Thieman
Paralegal Specialist:
Rhonda Moss
Attorney Staff:
Michael Anderson
Young Cho
Allison Genco
Jennifer Howard
Victoria Kauffman
Stephen O’Neal
Vincent Salgado
Jessica Sitron
Adam Supple
Robert Vogt
Organization and Leadership
Headquarters OGC Organization
OGC Leadership Directory— Contact Information for the Headquarters Leadership and Center Chief Counsels
Resources
Contracts and Acquisition Integrity Law Resources
OGC Disclaimer: The materials within this website do not constitute legal advice. For details read our disclaimer.
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By NASA
In its functional leadership role, the Acquisition and Integrity Program (AIP) supports policy-level interactions with other governmental agencies combating procurement fraud. This Program provides specialized guidance and advice to the Office of the Chief Counsel at NASA Field Centers regarding procurement fraud matters; advises on affirmative litigation in the recovery of monies resulting from fraudulent activity on behalf of the Agency; and develops and coordinates NASA legal policy in these areas.
As a functional office to the NASA Administrator, the Acquisition Integrity Program provides legal advice regarding suspected fraud and other related irregularities in the acquisition process, suspected criminal standards of conduct violations, suspension and debarment decisions, and administrative agreements; represents NASA in interagency meetings or bodies such as the Department of Defense Procurement Fraud Working Group, and the Interagency Suspension and Debarment Committee; answers correspondence for the Administrator concerning acquisition integrity matters; and responds to Congressional inquiries and proposed Federal Acquisition Regulation rules concerning procurement fraud related issues.
The Acquisition Integrity Program provides centralized services to organizations within NASA regarding the statutes, regulations, and policies governing fraud. The Program is responsible for ensuring that significant allegations of fraud on NASA contracts, grants, cooperative agreements, funding instruments, and other commitments of NASA, are identified, investigated, and prosecuted. Centralized services provided by the Program also include: case referrals for investigation; interface with investigative agencies, U.S. Attorney’s Offices, and the Justice Department; coordination of criminal, civil, contractual, and administrative remedies; Suspension and Debarment recommendations and corresponding Administrative Agreements; education and training of the NASA workforce to prevent, detect, and deter procurement fraud; and educational outreach to the private sector on procurement fraud related issues.
Contacts
Director:
Monica Aquino-Thieman
Tel: 202-358-2262
Management and Program Analyst:
Laura Donegan
Attorney Staff:
Robert Vogt, Western Region Coordinator
Vacant, Central Region Coordinator
Vacant, Eastern Region Coordinator
Organization and Leadership
Headquarters OGC Organization
OGC Leadership Directory— Contact Information for the Headquarters Leadership and Center Chief Counsels
Resources
Fraud Awareness Flyer
FAR Subpart 9.4, Suspension, Debarment and Ineligibility NASA FAR Supplement 1809.4 2 C.F.R. 180, Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension 2 C.F.R. 1880, NASA Nonprocurement Debarment and Suspension NASA Policy Directive 2086.1, Coordination of Remedies Related to Fraud and Corruption
OGC Disclaimer: The materials within this website do not constitute legal advice. For details read our disclaimer.
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