{"id":299070,"date":"2026-06-07T10:32:15","date_gmt":"2026-06-07T10:32:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/299070\/"},"modified":"2026-06-07T10:32:15","modified_gmt":"2026-06-07T10:32:15","slug":"meet-the-new-director-of-nasas-kennedy-space-center-at-cape-canaveral-florida","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-fl\/299070\/","title":{"rendered":"Meet the new director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center at Cape Canaveral, Florida"},"content":{"rendered":"

As the space industry rapidly expands<\/a>, NASA’s aging Kennedy Space Center faces infrastructure issues in keeping pace with electrical power, rocket-propellant delivery and “even the good-old-fashioned blacktop of the roads,” newly appointed Director Brian Hughes said.<\/p>\n

Calling KSC \u201ca jewel for Florida\u2019s history and the nation\u2019s history,\u201d Hughes said the spaceport \u2014 which was not designed for today’s launch cadence<\/a> \u2014 requires investment during challenging financial times at the local, state and federal levels.<\/p>\n

“We have the sort of ‘legacy contractors’ who have been well-known to be in this industry now for generations: Boeing, Northrop Grumman, those guys. We have the next generation reflected in SpaceX, Blue Origin and Amazon Leo, the other part of Mr. Bezos’ very successful endeavors<\/a>,” Hughes said.<\/p>\n

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(Craig Bailey, FLORIDA TODAY)<\/p>\n

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“And we have the emerging folks. We’re talking with Relativity, Firefly. There’s an endless list of innovators here in America who are about to take their innovation to implementation<\/a>, manufacturing and launch,” he said.<\/p>\n

“And we want Kennedy and NASA and the state of Florida to remain in synch so that we can provide and attract those folks,” he said.<\/p>\n

Hughes was announced as KSC’s new director May 8 as part of a NASA realignment. He introduced himself during Space Florida’s June 2 board of directors meeting<\/a> at Orlando International Airport and briefly discussed infrastructure, Blue Origin’s New Glenn rocket explosion<\/a>, launches in Virginia and more.<\/p>\n

Hughes \u2014 who also has direct responsibility for launch operations at NASA’s Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia \u2014 succeeds Janet Petro, who became KSC’s deputy director in 2007 and the first woman to serve as director in <\/a>June 2021<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Petro also served as NASA’s acting administrator from January 2025 to July 2025 as the first woman in that position. She retired effective May 1.<\/p>\n

More about NASA’s new KSC director<\/p>\n

Hughes is a U.S. Air Force veteran<\/a> who served as a KC-135 Stratotanker aircrew member during Gulf War operations over the Middle East. He worked as CEO and\u00a0chief administrative officer of Jacksonville’s Downtown Investment Authority, then became a senior advisor to President Donald Trump\u2019s 2024 election campaign<\/a>.<\/p>\n

He served as White House deputy national security adviser for strategic communications before becoming NASA\u2019s chief of staff last year.<\/p>\n

\u201cBrian brings a unique combination of operational expertise, strategic leadership, and public service experience at the highest levels of government,\u201d NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman<\/a> said in a press release announcing Hughes’ appointment.<\/p>\n

\u201cHis track record leading complex organizations and executing high-stakes missions makes him exceptionally well-suited to help shape the future of NASA\u2019s launch operations as we accelerate into a new era of exploration and innovation,” Isaacman said.<\/p>\n

On the other hand, U.S. Rep. Zoe Lofgren of California said in a press release she was “appalled” by the decision to name Hughes KSC director because he has “deep ties to the White House but no background or expertise in space launch systems.”<\/p>\n

Lofgren is the top-ranking Democrat on the House Committee on Science, Space, and Technology. She said, “we are not going to beat China to the Moon<\/a> by putting a political operative in charge of launching our astronauts into space.”<\/p>\n

“Brian Hughes does not possess the background, knowledge, expertise, or temperament to hold a position of such immense responsibility,” she said in the press release.<\/p>\n

NASA planning launch alignment between KSC, Wallops\"An<\/p>\n

An overhead photo depicts Rocket Lab’s side-by-side launch complexes located at the Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia.<\/p>\n

Col. Brian Chatman,\u00a0who commands Space Launch Delta 45<\/a>, recently told FLORIDA TODAY the Cape might host upwards of 500 launches per year by 2035.<\/p>\n

What’s more, Chatman said SpaceX is “driving hard” to finish constructing Starship mega-rocket infrastructure at KSC’s pad 39A, and Florida’s first Starship launch may happen by year’s end<\/a>.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn case my friends in Virginia hear, there\u2019s an important alignment that\u2019s happening. We intend to see \u2014 and I know that you are expecting the same \u2014 a dramatic increase over the next few years in the launch cadence at Kennedy, particularly for large rockets,” Hughes told the Space Florida board.<\/p>\n

“There is a thought that a way to help facilitate that is give the small and medium rocket folks some additional capacity elsewhere,\u201d Hughes said.<\/p>\n

“Now eventually, I’m sure we will figure out how to do it all in Florida. But for now, the facility in Virginia’s going to be part of the plan. But again, that plan is about expanding what we do in Florida, particularly at Kennedy,” he said.<\/p>\n

“So that’s a very exciting time,” he said.<\/p>\n

For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit\u00a0floridatoday.com\/space<\/a>. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly 321 Launch space newsletter<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0 <\/p>\n

Rick Neale<\/a>\u00a0is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com<\/a>. Twitter\/X:\u00a0@RickNeale1<\/a><\/p>\n

Space is important to us, and that’s why we’re working to bring you top coverage of the industry and Florida launches. Journalism like this takes time and resources.\u00a0Please support it with a subscription here.<\/a><\/p>\n

This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA’s new Kennedy Space Center leader talks increasing rocket launches<\/a><\/p>\n