Robert Cabana, who served as a NASA associate administrator, astronaut, and a colonel in the United States Marine Corps, received the President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Civilian Service, recognizing his exceptional achievements and public service to the nation. The award, signed by President Biden, is the highest honor the federal government can grant to a federal civilian employee.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson and Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy presented Cabana with the award during a ceremony at NASA Headquarters in Washington on Jan. 10. Cabana most recently served as NASA’s associate administrator, which is the agency’s highest ranking civil servant, from 2021 until he retired from the agency at the end of 2023.

“A true public servant, Bob has spent his entire career in service to his country. I can think of no one more deserving of this rare honor than Bob,” said Nelson. “From his time as a naval aviator to his role as associate administrator of NASA, Bob has dedicated his life to improving his country. I join with President Biden in thanking Bob for his dedication and commitment.”

The award recognized Cabana for his roles as a Marine aviator, test pilot, astronaut and becoming the first American to enter the International Space Station. He was further recognized for continuing to push for the bounds of the possible, launching the James Webb Space Telescope, the Artemis I mission and the Orion spacecraft which will send humans back to the Moon for the first time in decades.

As a NASA astronaut, Cabana flew in space four times, including twice as commander. His final space shuttle flight in 1998 was the first International Space Station assembly mission. Cabana also was the director of the agency’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida for more than a decade. There he led its transition from retirement of the space shuttle to a multi-user spaceport once again launching NASA astronauts to low Earth orbit, and for the first time, doing so with commercial partners.  

As NASA associate administrator, Cabana led the agency’s 10 center directors, as well as the mission directorate associate administrators at NASA Headquarters. He was the agency’s chief operating officer for more than 18,000 employees and oversaw an annual budget of more than $25 billion.  

Cabana was selected as an astronaut candidate in June 1985 and completed training in July 1986. He logged 38 days in space during four shuttle missions. Cabana was a pilot aboard space shuttle Discovery on both the STS-41 mission in October 1990 that deployed the Ulysses spacecraft and the STS-53 mission in December 1992. He was the mission commander aboard space shuttle Columbia for the STS-65 mission in July 1994 that conducted experiments as part of the second International Microgravity Laboratory mission. He commanded space shuttle Endeavour for the STS-88 mission in December 1998.

Cabana was appointed a member of the Federal Senior Executive Service in 2000 and served in numerous senior management positions at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, ultimately becoming deputy director. He was named director of NASA’s Stennis Space Center in Mississippi in October 2007 and a year later was selected as NASA Kennedy director. 

Born in Minneapolis, Cabana graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1971 with a bachelor’s degree in mathematics. He became a naval aviator and graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School in 1981. In his career, Cabana logged over 7,000 hours in more than 50 different kinds of aircraft. He retired as a colonel from the U.S. Marine Corps in September 2000. 

In addition to receiving the President’s Award for Distinguished Federal Service, Cabana’s accomplishments have been recognized with induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame and being named an Associate Fellow in the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and a Fellow in the Society of Experimental Test Pilots. He has received numerous personal awards and decorations, including the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Presidential Distinguished Rank Award. He also is a recipient of the Rotary National Award for Space Achievement’s National Space Trophy. 

For Cabana’s full bio, visit: 

https://go.nasa.gov/3u9hGB2

-end- 

Meira Bernstein / Jennifer Dooren
Headquarters, Washington
202-615-1747 / 202-358-1600
meira.b.bernstein@nasa.gov / jennifer.m.dooren@nasa.gov

Explore Lagniappe for January 2025 featuring:

• NASA Stennis Celebrates Key Testing, Operations Milestones in 2024
• NASA Exhibit Puts Visitors in Test Conductor Seat
• NASA Stennis Hosts Mississippi Kween

Gator Speaks

This time of year is one Gator enjoys. The ending of one year and beginning of another provides the opportunity to reflect, reset, and refocus.

This is true at NASA Stennis, a place that powers space dreams, or for someone who enjoys staying up to date with all the happenings around NASA Stennis – you!

In 2024, Gator witnessed the legacy of excellence continue at the south Mississippi NASA center. There were milestones reached with RS-25 engine testing and preparations for testing NASA’s new exploration upper stage for future Artemis missions, the center continued to fuel the space market with its support of commercial companies at the E Test Complex, and it was announced the historic in-space payload mission for the NASA Stennis Autonomous Systems Laboratory team would continue.

Another bright spot at NASA Stennis is range operations. The partnership between NASA Stennis and Skydweller Aero represents the first big step in this area. In 2024, NASA Stennis entered into an agreement with Skydweller Aero for the company to operate its solar-powered autonomous aircraft in the site’s restricted airspace.

It marks the first agreement between NASA Stennis and a commercial company to use the center’s unique capabilities to support testing and operation of uncrewed systems.

The future is indeed bright. The new year is like the NASA Stennis buffer zone. The 125,000-plus acre buffer zone enables many opportunities for site achievement and advancement, much like a new year does.  

We all can make 2025 the best year to date by building on what we have accomplished and setting bold, new goals.

Here is to 2025 – a year of focus, ambition, and collaboration. Together, we can turn our goals into achievements and make this year one of our best yet.

Happy New Year!

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NASA Stennis Top News

NASA Stennis Celebrates Key Testing, Operations Milestones in 2024 

NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, celebrated propulsion testing and site operations milestones in 2024, all while inspiring the Artemis Generation and welcoming new leadership that will help NASA Stennis innovate and grow into the future.

NASA Exhibit Puts Visitors in Test Conductor Seat

NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi, is helping the Artemis Generation learn how to power space dreams with an interactive exhibit at INFINITY Science Center.

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Center Activities

NASA Stennis Hosts Mississippi Kween

SLS Rocket on Display at Governor’s Mansion

NASA Stennis Director Hosts Java with John

NASA Assistant Administrator for Procurement Visits NASA Stennis

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NASA in the News

• Artemis II Core Stage Vertical Integration Begins at NASA Kennedy – NASA
• New Commercial Artemis Moon Rovers Undergo Testing at NASA – NASA
• NASA Accelerates Space Exploration, Earth Science for All in 2024 – NASA
• Space Meets Sound: NASA Lands in 2024 Spotify Wrapped – NASA
• Artemis Accords Reach 50 Signatories as NASA Welcomes Panama, Austria – NASA

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Employee Profile: Heather Seagren

A leap of faith for Heather Seagren eight years ago brought the Gulf Coast native to something new, yet also returned her to a familiar place at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

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Additional Resources

• Good Things with Rebecca Turner – SuperTalk Mississippi (interview with NASA Stennis Director John Bailey)

Subscription Info

Lagniappe is published monthly by the Office of Communications at NASA’s Stennis Space Center. The NASA Stennis office may be contacted by at 228-688-3333 (phone); ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov (email); or NASA OFFICE OF COMMUNICATIONS, Attn: LAGNIAPPE, Mail code IA00, Building 1111 Room 173, Stennis Space Center, MS 39529 (mail).

The Lagniappe staff includes: Managing Editor Lacy Thompson, Editor Bo Black, and photographer Danny Nowlin.

To subscribe to the monthly publication, please email the following to ssc-office-of-communications@mail.nasa.gov – name, location (city/state), email address.

A leap of faith for Heather Seagren eight years ago brought the Gulf Coast native to something new, yet also returned her to a familiar place at NASA’s Stennis Space Center near Bay St. Louis, Mississippi.

Following graduation from Pearl River Community College, Seagren worked as an office manager at a pediatric office. Seagren anticipated a full career in the medical field until an opportunity at the south Mississippi NASA center “kind of fell in my lap,” she said.

The NASA Shared Services Center, located at NASA Stennis, was hiring for its travel department, so Seagren applied. 

“There are many different roles here, and my biggest thing was, do not second guess your decisions,” she said. “It was a big change for me, and I made the leap and ended up where I am today, even though it was a completely different career field.”

A new career field, yes, but not a new place. Seagren grew up in Pearlington, Mississippi, less than 10 miles from the nation’s largest propulsion test site. Her grandfather, Grover “Shu-Shu” Bennett, retired from NASA Stennis as a tugboat captain, helping to deliver rocket propellants along the site canal system to the test stands at NASA Stennis.

Just as her grandfather ensured the rocket engine fuel made it to its destination on time, Seagren does the same for NASA employees by coordinating travel plans. She now is in a similar role as a NASA Stennis financial management specialist.

Working with astronauts, engineers, and many other NASA employees, no two trips are alike, which is a part of the job Seagren enjoys.

What is similar is the trips coordinated by Seagren align with NASA’s mission to explore the secrets of the universe for the benefit of all.

The Kiln, Mississippi, resident plays a vital role in the NASA mission by bringing together the details of booking flights, arranging accommodations, and managing schedules.   

“The best thing about working at NASA Stennis is getting to experience everything,” she said. “It is always interesting to see what other projects and duties everybody is doing. The process kind of starts with the travel department. … It is a small step, but we are involved, making sure everybody is where they need to be, when they need to be there, so, I think that is pretty cool.”