On July 24, 2016, John P. Schaub took over as director of the Naval Center for Space Technology (NCST) at the U.S. Naval Research Laboratory (NRL).

Schaub previously served as the senior executive in charge of the Spacecraft Engineering Department, a part of the NCST.

"I am delighted at our choice of John for this position," said Dr. John Montgomery, director of research at NRL. "Capt. Bruington (NRL commanding officer) and I have the utmost confidence in him as he undertakes the responsibilities of this new assignment."

The center's mission is to preserve and enhance a strong space technology base and provide expert assistance in the development and acquisition of space systems which support naval missions. NCST also provides systems engineering and technical direction assistance to major space systems acquisition programs.

"John's vision for the NCST isn't just a look into the future," Bruington said. "He's making strides in collaborating with industry and academia, which is a great place for NRL to be."

Prior to his appointment, Schaub served as the senior executive for the spacecraft engineering department for 10 years.

Schaub succeeds Peter G. Wilhelm, who was the director of NCST from its start Oct. 1, 1986, until his retirement from NRL in 2015.

"The success NCST has had stems from space technology and innovation," Wilhelm said. "John inherits a very talented group of people at the center, and because he led the spacecraft engineering team I think he's well qualified and was a great choice."

"It's an honor to be selected as just the second director of the NCST," Schaub said. "Pete was the kind of leader who comes along once in a lifetime, and I'll have some work to do to fill his shoes."

Schaub began his career at NRL in 1985, materially contributing to the development of "first of a kind" spacecraft or space instruments providing important capabilities in Command, Control, Communications, Computers, Intelligence, Surveillance and Reconnaissance (C4ISR), terrestrial and space weather, strategic defense, operationally responsive space, space robotic servicing, and advances in space science and technology.

He earned dual bachelor's degrees in mechanical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology and physics with honors from the State University of New York (SUNY) at Oneonta in 1984. He has various award recognitions, is senior member of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics and has served as a voting member of the Department of the Navy Space Experiments Review Board (SERB) since 2008. In 2014, Schaub was named an Alumni of Distinction by SUNY Oneonta.

The U.S. Naval Research Laboratory provides the advanced scientific capabilities required to bolster our country's position of global naval leadership. The laboratory, with a total complement of approximately 2,500 personnel, is located in southwest Washington, D.C., with other major sites at the Stennis Space Center, Mississippi, and Monterey, California. NRL has served the Navy and the nation for over 90 years and continues to advance research farther than you can imagine.

For more information, visit http://www.navy.mil/, http://www.facebook.com/usnavy, or http://www.twitter.com/usnavy.

For more news from Naval Research Laboratory, visit http://www.navy.mil/, visit the NRL website or join the conversation on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube.