Vera Hirschberg
  Headquarters, Washington, D.C.                  February 12, 1991
  (Phone:  202/453-8425)
  
  
  RELEASE:  91-24
  
  NASA LAUNCHES SEARCH FOR ASSOCIATE ADMINISTRATOR FOR EXPLORATION
  
  
       NASA Administrator Richard H. Truly today announced a nationwide 
  search for a senior official to direct NASA's activities to send 
  people to the Moon and to explore Mars.
  
       Truly said that NASA seeks "an outstanding individual, with 
  talent and vision" for the newly created position of Associate 
  Administrator for Exploration.  "I encourage qualified applicants from 
  within NASA and from all sectors of our society - academia, industry 
  and government," he added.  "We need an outstanding individual to help 
  carry out President Bush's stated goal of a long-term program of human 
  exploration of space, as stated in his Space Exploration Initiative."
  
       NASA's vacancy announcement for the position will be issued 
  tomorrow and will be open through March 6.  The announcement is for a 
  career appointment to a position in the NASA Senior Executive Service 
  (SES), serving at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
  
       Today's announcement followed Truly's announcement on December 18 
  to implement immediately two recommendations made by the Advisory 
  Committee on the Future of the U.S. Space Program and seek ways to 
  implement others.  One of the recommendations he pledged to implement 
  was to create a new Office of Exploration under an Associate 
  Administrator.  The initial duties of the office, he said, would be to 
  formulate "well thought-out" options to meet the challenges of 
  returning to the Moon and exploring Mars.
  
       Applications should be sent to:  NASA Headquarters; DP/Bonnie 
  Acoveno; 400 Maryland Avenue, S.W.; Washington, D.C.  20546.  Acoveno 
  can be contacted for additional information by calling 202/453-8478.
                                  - end -