Michael D. Leinbach

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. 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. He retired from NASA four months later, ending his decades-long tenure at the agency on 30 November 2011. 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.

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." 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."

Asteroid 47786 Michaelleinbach (2000EQ20), discovered by the Catalina Sky Survey, is named in his honor.