From BlueOxen

National Engineering and Safety Center Discipline Expert

Biography

Mr. Mc Manamen started his career with NASA at the Johnson Space Center in February 1987 as an Aerospace Engineer working in the Mechanical Design and Analysis Branch of the Structures and Mechanics Division. Mr. Mc Manamen performed design, analysis and development tasks for various flight hardware projects including the Shuttle Pole Crew Escape System (PCES) and flight test support equipment and the Space Shuttle-to-Space Station Freedom docking system. He was one of several recipients of a patent for a docking system design and for the PCES design used in the Orbiter today. In November of 1989, Mr. Mc Manamen became the Subsystem Manager for the Orbiter Docking System (ODS) consisting of an external airlock modification to the orbiter and the addition of a docking mechanism mounted on top. In this capacity, he managed a team of JSC in-house professional engineers, support contractors and the prime contractor in a broad range of engineering tasks related to the ODS design, development, and certification reporting to the Orbiter Project Manager.

In 1992 as NASA became engaged in the Joint Shuttle-Mir Program, NASA selected the Russian docking mechanism APAS to be used for docking between the Orbiter and Mir. Mr. Mc Manamen became the Chief Engineer of mechanical systems for the newly formed JSC docking system team. In this capacity he led the discussions and negotiations with the Russians for the design modifications, development testing, qualification testing, and certification for flight of the APAS. As the ISS development was continuing and the need for a docking system was apparent, he led the mechanical assessment to develop modifications to the APAS significantly reducing loads and increasing capture performance.

Mr. Mc Manamen's career continued to progress as he became group lead for analysis within the Mechanical Design and Analysis Branch, then Chief of the Structures and Dynamics Branch, followed by Deputy Chief of the Structures and Mechanics Division. In these positions Mr. Mc Manamen was involved in a number of flight hardware development projects, and was involved with or led a number of critical flight hardware anomaly resolution teams, and qualification test failure resolution teams.In March of 2000, Mr. Mc Manamen was selected to be the Engineering Directorate's Chief Engineer of the International Space Station and in a dual role capacity working as Deputy Chief of the Shuttle/ Station Engineering Office.

Mr. Mc Manamen graduated from the University of Colorado with B.S. and M.S. degrees in Aerospace Engineering.