Aaron Cohen, former head of Johnson Space Center, pioneer of shuttle program, dies in Texas

Former head of Johnson Space Center dies in Texas

HOUSTON — Aaron Cohen, the former director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center who helped create the space shuttle program, has died after a long fight with cancer. He was 79.

Cohen was a mechanical engineer who was named director of the Johnson Space Center in 1986 after the space shuttle Challenger exploded, killing teacher Christa McAuliffe and six astronauts. He was at the helm nearly three years later when flights resumed and continued to lead the center until 1993.

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden says Cohen was one of his mentors and provided important leadership in helping NASA recover from the Challenger disaster.

Cohen retired from NASA in 1993 to teach at Texas A&M University, his alma mater. NASA says he died Feb. 25 in College Station.