Andy Stofan, Former NASA Lewis Center Director and Space Station AA Passes Away

Andy Stofan, who was Director of Lewis (now Glenn) Research Center and then headed the space station program at NASA headquarters in the mid-1980s, passed away on October 26, 2025. He was 90.

Born in Cleveland, Ohio, Stofan graduated from Hiram College near Cleveland in 1957 with a bachelor’s degree in math and physics and in 1958 from Carnegie Mellon University with a bachelor of science in mechanical engineering. He immediately joined Lewis Laboratory just months before it became part of the nation’s new space agency, NASA, which opened its doors on October 1, 1958. Lewis Laboratory was renamed Lewis Research Center.

He spent almost all of his 30-year NASA career at Lewis starting as a researcher in propellant management. During the 1960s and 1970s, he led the Titan/Centaur project, then was Director of the Launch Vehicles Directorate.

In 1978 he moved to NASA Headquarters as Deputy Associate Administrator for the Office of Space Science, and in 1981 was appointed Acting Associate Administrator for the new Office of Space Science and Applications.

He returned to Lewis in 1982 as Center Director. In 2016, the Center (by then renamed Glenn Research Center) inducted Stofan into its Hall of Fame. A tribute on the Center’s website notes that at the time he became Director, the Center had suffered through a decade of downsizing and cutbacks and “Congress had nearly closed the center down just prior” to his arrival. He issued the Center’s first strategic plan in December 1982 that led to Lewis leading the Shuttle-Centaur and Space Station power system programs.

Stofan had a legendary career with many highlights. His cryogenic fluid management work was significant to the 1960s space program, his management of the launch vehicles efforts led to major NASA successes in the 1970s, and his management of NASA’s space science and space station efforts impacted the agency. Stofan, however, considers his four years as center director his most important. In that role, he not only provided the hope that was needed to carry on, but empowered staff with the confidence needed to create their own successful destiny. His generous mentoring, cooperative management approach, and leadership style empowered the staff to not only have a vision but to motivate everyone to contribute to the vision. Beyond his adept management skills, it was this “can-do” attitude, confidence, and ability to build relationships that really made him a leader. In addition, a generation of younger managers incorporated Stofan’s managerial philosophy and skills into their work. The center is still feeling the effects of Stofan’s legacy today. — Tribute to Andy Stofan by Glenn Research Center in 2016

After four years as Center Director, he was called back to Headquarters in August 1986, this time to take charge of the nascent space station program as Associate Administrator. Begun by President Ronald Reagan in January 1984, the program was going through difficult times not only because of funding challenges, but the January 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy, which killed all seven crew members, was causing NASA to take a closer look at the space station’s design.

Stofan retired from NASA in 1988 and went to work for Martin Marietta Astronautics as Vice President of Advanced Launch Systems and of Technical Operations. In 1991 he became President of Analex Corporation in Cleveland that provided engineering and management services to Lewis, and then was director of Electro-Optical Systems for Lockheed Missiles and Space Company.

Stofan is survived by his wife of 70 years Barbara, daughters Lynn Kaplan and Ellen Stofan, five grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.  Ellen is a planetary geologist and was NASA’s Chief Scientist from 2013-2016. She was Director of the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum from 2018 to 2021 and now is the Smithsonian’s Under Secretary for Science and Research.