NASA Shuttle Launch Director Resigns
Monday, November 28, 2011
By: Tom Parkinson

November 28, 2011 | WMFE - NASA's shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach is resigning from the space agency this week to work in the private aerospace industry. Leinbach worked at NASA for almost 30 years.

Mike Leinbach was the man who gave the final “Go” or “No-Go” for NASA’s shuttle launches. He joined NASA as an engineer in 1984 and was named shuttle Launch Director in 2000. Leinbach helped lead the agency through the assembly of the International Space Station and the retirement of the shuttle program.
Speaking to WMFE in June, Leinbach said he wasn’t sure what he would do after the shuttle program’s final mission
“I’m not sure what I’ll be doing. We have other customers that will potentially want to use some of the facilities at Kennedy Space Center and I’ll work on some of that but I’ll be honest with you, it won’t be the same as working on the shuttle.” Leinbach said.
In an email to colleagues, Leinbach said he is going to work for (quote) “a major aerospace company." He did not name the company but said the job will allow him to stay on the Space Coast. Leinbach’s resignation is effective Wednesday.