INDIANAPOLIS — NASA has a new chief astronaut and he's a Purdue University alum.

Scott Tingle, who earned his master's degree in mechanical engineering at Purdue, is now leading NASA's astronaut office.

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

Tingle is a veteran astronaut and Navy captain with more than six months in space on Expedition 54 and 55. He has logged more than 4,500 flight hours in 51 different aircraft and was a flight engineer aboard the International Space Station.

In his new role, he'll help pick crews and prepare astronauts for future missions, including upcoming Artemis flights to the m

See Full Page