NASA Names Chairman for Orbiting Carbon Observatory Investigation

MEDIA RELATIONS OFFICE
JET PROPULSION LABORATORY
CALIFORNIA INSTITUTE OF TECHNOLOGY
NATIONAL AERONAUTICS AND SPACE ADMINISTRATION
PASADENA, CALIFORNIA 91109. TELEPHONE 818-354-5011

John Yembrick 202-358-1100
NASA Headquarters, Washington
John.yembrick-1@nasa.gov

Steve Cole 202-657-2194
NASA Headquarters, Washington
Stephen.e.cole@nasa.gov

RELEASE: 2009-030 Feb. 25, 2009

NASA Names Chairman for Orbiting Carbon Observatory Investigation

PASADENA, Calif. -- NASA's Rick Obenschain, deputy director at NASA's Goddard Space Flight
Center in Greenbelt, Md., will lead the investigation board for the unsuccessful launch of the
Orbiting Carbon Observatory on Feb. 24.

The Mishap Investigation Board will have four other members. NASA will announce the names of
additional members as they become available. The board will gather information, analyze the facts,
and identify the failure's cause or causes and contributing factors. The Mishap Investigation Board
will make recommendations for actions to prevent a similar incident.

Obenschain shares responsibility for executive leadership and overall direction and management of
Goddard and its assigned programs and projects. He also is responsible for providing executive
oversight and technical evaluation for the development and delivery for Goddard space systems
launch and operations.

Previously, Obenschain was appointed director of the Flight Projects Directorate in September 2004,
and was responsible for the day-to-day management of more than 40 space and Earth science
missions. He has held a number of project management positions at Goddard.

Obenschain is the recipient of NASA's Distinguished Service Medal, Exceptional Service Medal,
Outstanding Leadership Medal, Equal Opportunity Medal, and Goddard's Award of Merit. In 1995,
he received the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics von Braun Award for
Excellence in Space Program Management.

For information about the Orbiting Carbon Observatory failed launch and investigation, visit:
http://www.nasa.gov/oco .

NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., has managed the Orbiting Carbon Observatory
mission for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. JPL is managed for NASA by the
California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.

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