Astronaut named space center deputy chief

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration has appointed veteran astronaut Ellen Ochoa deputy director of the Johnson Space Center in Texas.

Ochoa is a four-time space flier who has served as director of flight crew operations at the Houston center. She will succeed Bob Cabana, who was named director of NASA's Stennis Space Center in Mississippi.

"Ellen has proven her exceptional capabilities many times in space, as well as in her many roles on the ground including most recently her superb management of flight crew operations," said Johnson Director Mike Coats. "We are extremely fortunate to bring her outstanding reputation throughout the agency and her wealth of experience to this new task."

Ochoa will assume duties as deputy director after the next space shuttle mission, STS-120.

Copyright 2007 by United Press International