Kirk Shireman is Vice President for Human Space Exploration and Orion Program Manager and oversees the team designing and building NASA’s Orion spacecraft for human exploration of deep space. In this capacity, he is responsible for delivering the integrated Orion Crew and Service Module to NASA for the Artemis II - VIII missions to the Moon. The program team successfully completed the Artemis I mission in 2022, sending Orion more than 1.4 million miles through deep space during its first uncrewed test flight around the Moon and back. The team is now preparing for its first crewed mission to the Moon, Artemis II, slated to launch in 2025. 

Previously, Shireman served as Lockheed Martin’s Vice President for Lunar Exploration Campaigns, which included the Transporter Element for the Human Lunar Landing System, nuclear thermal propulsion, and other space nuclear systems, as well as Space Habitats and Lunar Mobility systems. In this role, he led the team responsible for developing future systems and vehicles to support Human Space Exploration on the lunar surface, in lunar orbit, and beyond. 

Prior to joining Lockheed Martin in 2020, Shireman served as NASA’s International Space Station Program Manager as well as the deputy director for Johnson Space Center in Houston. In 2024, he was appointed by Texas Lt. Governor Dan Patrick to serve on the board of directors for the Texas Space Commission. 

In addition, he serves on the executive committee and board of directors for the Bay Area Houston Economic Partnership, board of directors for Space Center Houston, board of advisors for the Texas A&M Engineering Extension Service, and board of advisors for the Texas A&M Aerospace Engineering Advisory Board. Shireman holds a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Texas A&M University.