Dr. Kent Chojnacki has been named to the position of deputy manager of the Human Landing System (HLS) Program Office at NASA’s Marshall Space Flight Center.

In his role, Chojnacki will assist in the management of the HLS Program Office in leading the development of integrated human lunar landing systems.

Since 2020, Chojnacki has been the HLS Systems Engineering and Integration manager. In that role, he led the efforts for all activities associated with the programmatic, fiscal, and technical planning, procurement, design, development, testing, evaluation, production, and operation of the human landing element, including support equipment and facilities.

Chojnacki has more than 25 years of experience in the design and development of advanced space transportation vehicles. Prior to joining the HLS Program, he served in positions of increasing responsibility for the SLS (Space Launch System) Program, including deputy chief engineer for the stages element, lead of the stages exploration upper stage, and associate manager of the SLS Stages Office.

He joined Marshall in 2000 as an aerospace engineer in the Vehicle Systems Development Department, performing systems engineering and integration on large development programs such as Gravity Probe B and the X-34 and X-43C demonstrator vehicles. From 2007 to 2011, he was the main propulsion system subsystem manager, integrated product team lead, and stage definition manager of the Ares Upper Stage Project. His honors include an Exceptional Service Award.

Chojnacki earned a bachelor’s degree in aeronautics and astronautics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and both a master’s and doctorate in mechanical engineering from the University of Alabama in Huntsville. He lives in Huntsville with his wife and children.