{{Short description|American aerospace and civil engineer}} {{Infobox person | name = Michael D. Leinbach | image = Mike Leinbach NASA.jpg | caption = Mike Leinbach and First Lady Laura Bush watch the successful launch of ''Discovery'''s "Return to Flight" mission STS-114. | birth_date = | birth_place = Reading, Pennsylvania | death_date = | death_place = | other_names = | known_for = | education = B.S. Architecture,<br> M.E. Civil Engineering | alma_mater = University of Virginia | employer = NASA | title = Shuttle Launch Director<ref name="bio1" /> | predecessor = | spouse = Charlotte Leinbach<ref name="bio1" /> }} [[Image:Firing Room Four Launch Control Center STS-130 Launch.jpg|thumb|Bolden, left, congratulates Leinbach and the launch team in Firing Room Four of the Launch Control Centre for a successful launch of STS-130.]]
'''Michael D. Leinbach''' (born c. 1953) is an aerospace engineer who was the former Shuttle Launch Director at NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC), Florida.<ref name="bio1">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/leinbach.html|title=Michael D. Leinbach - Shuttle Launch Director, Shuttle Processing Directorate|accessdate=September 30, 2007|publisher=National Aeronautics and Space Administration|date=2007|author=NASA|author-link=NASA}}</ref> He was responsible for activities in the overall shuttle launch countdown, including planning, policy, and execution.<ref name="bio1"/>
==Early life== Leinbach was born in Reading, Pennsylvania, and graduated from Yorktown High School, Arlington, Virginia in 1971. He received a Bachelor of Science in Architecture in 1976, and a Master of Engineering in Civil Engineering (emphasis in structural dynamics) in 1981 from the University of Virginia.<ref name="bio1" /><ref name="uva">{{Cite web|url=http://publicaffairs.virginia.edu/notablealumni/years/1971/1980|title=Notable U.Va. Alumni|accessdate=September 30, 2007|publisher=University of Virginia|date=2007|author=University of Virginia|author-link=University of Virginia|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20070912030848/http://publicaffairs.virginia.edu/notablealumni/years/1971/1980|archivedate=September 12, 2007}}</ref><ref name="vem">{{Cite web|url=http://www.seas.virginia.edu/uvef/publications/winter02/class.html|title=Class Notes and in Memoriam|accessdate=September 30, 2007|publisher=Virginia Engineering Foundation|date=2002|author=Virginia Engineering Foundation}}</ref>
==NASA career== In 1984, Leinbach joined NASA as a structural engineer. Initially, Leinbach was a lead design engineer for various launch pad systems, including weather protection and the Emergency Egress Slide Wire system. In 1988, Leinbach became a NASA Test Director (NTD), responsible for directing daily operations at Kennedy Space Center (KSC) Launch Complex. In 1991, he was named Shuttle Test Director, and conducted the terminal countdown and launch of seventeen shuttle missions, in addition to being responsible for all planning activities associated with pre-launch.<ref name="bio1" />
From 1998 to May 2000, Leinbach was the deputy director of Space Station Hardware Integration, responsible for all International Space Station (ISS) processing at KSC, and at contractor locations. During this time, he oversaw the development of a program to verify functionality and operability of the first phase of the ISS Program.<ref name="bio1" />
In May 2000, Leinbach was assigned to serve as Assistant Launch Director, and was promoted to Launch Director in August 2000.<ref name="bio1" />
In 2003, following Space Shuttle ''Columbia'''s breakup upon re-entry, Leinbach was the leader of the initial debris recovery team in Texas, and Louisiana. He was named to lead the Columbia Reconstruction Team, whose goal was to determine the cause of the accident based only on the debris collected and reassembled at KSC. Following the investigation, Leinbach suggested loaning the debris to various academic institutions for study, to help develop safer spacecraft for the future.<ref name="bio1" />
Leinbach led the NASA Shuttle Launch Team for all shuttle missions since 2005 except STS-122,<ref name="lyons">{{Cite web|url=http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/biographies/lyons-d.html|title=Douglass E. Lyons Biography|accessdate=February 18, 2008|publisher=NASA|date=2008|author=NASA|format=.html}}</ref> polling all areas prior to launch, and giving the final "go" for launch. Leinbach was NASA's final shuttle launch Director, giving the final shuttle launch GO call to Atlantis (STS-135) in 2011.<ref name="SpaceNews2012">{{cite web |last1=Klotz |first1=Irene |title=Michael Leinbach, Director of Human Spaceflight Operations, United Launch Alliance |url=https://spacenews.com/michael-leinbach-director-human-spaceflight-operations-united-launch-alliance/ |website=SpaceNews |accessdate=23 May 2019 |language=English |date=16 January 2012}}</ref> He retired from NASA four months later, ending his decades-long tenure at the agency on 30 November 2011.<ref name="SpaceNews2012" /> The following year, he began overseeing human space operations for United Launch Alliance (ULA), which builds and flies Atlas 5 and Delta 4 rockets.<ref name="SpaceNews2012" /> He remains dedicated to promoting long-term human space flight in commercial, political, and government arenas.<ref name="SpaceNews2012" />
In 2015, Leinbach began work with author Jonathan Ward on a project called ''Bringing'' Columbia ''Home''.<ref name="BCH 25K">{{cite web |last1=Ward |first1=Jonathan |title=25,000 Heroes |url=https://bringingcolumbiahome.wordpress.com/category/welcome/ |website=Bringing Columbia Home |accessdate=23 May 2019 |date=22 October 2016}}</ref> The project includes the website, a blog by the same name written by both men, a Facebook community, and their book, which was ultimately published in January 2018.<ref name="BCH About">{{cite web |title=About |url=https://bringingcolumbiahome.wordpress.com/about/ |website=Bringing Columbia Home |date=14 September 2016 |accessdate=23 May 2019}}</ref><ref name="pub date">{{cite web |title=Bringing Columbia Home |url=https://www.skyhorsepublishing.com/arcade-publishing/9781628728514/bringing-columbia-home/ |website=Skyhorse Publishing |publisher=Arcade Publishing |accessdate=23 May 2019}}</ref>
==Awards== Leinbach has received a number of group achievement and performance awards, including NASA's Exceptional Service Medal in 1993, "''For leadership in planning and conducting shuttle launch countdowns''" and NASA's Medal for Outstanding Leadership in 2003 "''For significant contributions to the Space Shuttle Program.''"<ref name="awards1">{{Cite web|url=http://nasapeople.nasa.gov/awards/documents/2003NASAPeopleAwards.pdf|title=2003 NASA Agency Honors Award Recipients|accessdate=September 30, 2007|publisher=NASA|date=2003|author=NASA|format=.PDF|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20061002035740/http://nasapeople.nasa.gov//awards/documents/2003NASAPeopleAwards.pdf|archivedate=October 2, 2006}}</ref> In November 2004, Leinbach was awarded the Presidential Rank Award, an award given by the office of the President of the United States for "''Exceptional long-term accomplishments.''"<ref name="usopm">{{Cite web|url=http://www.opm.gov/ses/2004merit.asp|title=2004 Presidential Rank Awards For Meritorious Senior Professional|accessdate=September 30, 2007|publisher=United States Office of Personnel Management|date=2004|author=OPM}}</ref>
== References == {{Reflist}}
== External links == {{commons category}} * [http://www.nasa.gov/mission_pages/shuttle/main/index.html NASA's space shuttle page] *{{C-SPAN|1015200}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Leinbach, Michael D.}} Category:NASA people Category:People from Reading, Pennsylvania Category:1950s births Category:Living people Category:Yorktown High School (Virginia) alumni Category:University of Virginia School of Engineering and Applied Science alumni Category:Year of birth missing (living people)