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Purdue Alum Scott Tingle Named Chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office

Scott Tingle, a Purdue alumnus and former U.S. Navy captain, has been named chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center. Tingle logged over 4,500 flight hours and served as flight engineer on Expedition 54/55, spending more than six months aboard the International Space Station. As chief, he will manage astronaut resources, shape flight crew operations, and assign crews for future missions, including Artemis.

10:10 PM, 11/21/2025Science

Scott Tingle, a Purdue University alumnus and former U.S. Navy captain, has been appointed chief of the Astronaut Office at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston. In this leadership role, he will oversee astronaut resources and daily operations, help develop flight crew procedures, and make crew assignments for upcoming human spaceflight missions, including Artemis lunar missions.

Experience and achievements

A decorated aviator, Tingle has logged more than 4,500 flight hours in 51 different aircraft types. He served as a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station during Expedition 54/55, spending more than six months in orbit. For that mission he was the flight engineer and United States Operational Segment lead; the crew launched from Baikonur on Dec. 17, 2017 and returned to Earth on June 3, 2018.

Background and career

A native of Randolph, Massachusetts, Tingle was selected as a NASA astronaut in 2009. He earned a bachelor’s degree in mechanical engineering from Southeastern Massachusetts University and a master’s degree in mechanical engineering from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. Prior to joining NASA, he worked at The Aerospace Corporation in El Segundo, California, supporting the propulsion department. He was commissioned as a naval officer in 1991 and retired with the rank of captain after a distinguished career.

“Our Johnson Space Center team congratulates Scott on his selection as chief of the Astronaut Office. We wish him well as he takes on this new and exciting leadership role,” said Johnson Space Center Director Vanessa Wyche.

Since returning from Expedition 54/55, Tingle has supported the Astronaut Office in mission support, technical leadership, and crew readiness roles. His combination of operational spaceflight experience, engineering background, and leadership in both military and civilian aerospace makes him well suited to guide astronaut training and crew assignments as NASA advances toward lunar exploration and beyond.

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Purdue Alum Scott Tingle Named Chief of NASA’s Astronaut Office - CRBC News