Largely unknown to the public, Abbey wielded so much power within NASA that many observers ranked him second only to the agency's administrator. The reason, say many associates, is Abbey's acute personal skills.
"So many of the [NASA] administrators or center directors were exceptional technical people, and exceptional scientific people," said former shuttle commander Robert "Hoot" Gibson. "But I think no one ever had the grasp that George did of the political forces in play that had a big effect on NASA's future and NASA's success."
A former Air Force fighter pilot, Abbey came to NASA in 1967 and rose to prominence at JSC in the late 1970s. Known for an encyclopedic knowledge of events, and an uncanny grasp of human behavior, Abbey distinguished himself at the center and was promoted to increasingly more responsible positions, eventually serving as the director of flight operations.
"I think he's a great American hero," said one former NASA official. "He's carried the human spaceflight program on his back for the last nine years. It's a huge loss." But, said another, " I think it's a blessing that he's leaving. He's operated by fear and behind closed doors. I think people are going to be dancing in the streets [at JSC]."
"George Abbey personally saved the (International) Space Station."
For astronauts, Abbey had a dark side. During the space shuttle era, the man nicknamed "Darth Vader" held absolute power over the astronaut corps, dictating who flew in space, and who didn't. Said one shuttle veteran, "George wanted to be the one who was holding the carrot, so that all the astronauts would jump to his tune." Working under Abbey, he said, was "absolutely horrible. If he didn't like someone, he'd say, 'We're gonna screw him, but we're not gonna tell him.' You never knew if you'd been banished to the back porch, never to fly again."
The same astronaut noted that Abbey made sure every astronaut got at least one space mission: "I think it was out of the goodness of his heart. These people had devoted years and years to the program." George Abbey is a study in contradictions.
Abbey, who did not return SPACE.com's request for an interview, can be maddeningly indirect about his wishes. One colleague who dined frequently with Abbey said, "I would suggest a restaurant, and he would keep saying 'No,' until I finally guessed the one that he wanted." A different version of the story was offered by a former chief astronaut, who once sent a new shuttle crew roster to Abbey for approval, only to have it returned with the message, "You don't have the right names." The chief astronaut reworked the list until he got Abbey's approval.
Abbey's management style, described by many as Machiavellian, made enemies both within and outside NASA. His removal from JSC in 1988 for a series of posts at NASA Headquarters and on space advisory groups, was seen by many as an effort by higher-ups to remove the controversial director from power. But Abbey has also displayed a talent for political longevity. During his tenure in Washington Abbey became a close ally of NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin, who restored him to JSC in 1994.
Since 1995 Abbey had been the center's director. Last Friday NASA announced that Goldin has
to headquarters as his senior assistant for international issues. Many who acknowledged Abbey's shortcomings also praised his effectiveness in directing NASA's human spaceflight programs. "George Abbey personally saved the space station," said Apollo astronaut and longtime NASA advisor Tom Stafford. Stafford credits Abbey with bringing Apollo-style management practices to the station project, which had been mired in bureaucracy and engineering missteps. "If he'd gotten run over by a truck in 1995," Stafford said, "we still wouldn't have anything up there."
Abbey also championed the idea of making Russia a full partner in the space station project, a move that helped rescue the station from cancellation by the White House and Congress in the early 1990s. He also served as a driving force behind the visits of U.S. astronauts to Russia's Mir orbital outpost in order to give NASA badly needed experience in space station operations.
When it comes to Abbey's departure from JSC, opinions are mixed. To many observers, JSC has become dominant over other NASA centers, largely because of Abbey's extraordinary influence. When he leaves, said one former associate, "JSC's powerhouse status will certainly suffer. But that's not bad. You've got to give the other centers a chance to get out there and do things."
But there are those who believe Abbey's shoes will be tough to fill.
"He had an incredibly strong belief in the importance of the space shuttle and space station programs," said Hoot Gibson. "And it's going to be hard to find someone with the fierce, burning interest and desire to make a success of both of those programs."
Boeing's Mike Mott, formerly NASA's chief of staff, agrees. "We've lost a real advocate for the human spaceflight business -- and a man who understood it. There's a lot of folks out there on the fringe that want to do things. But it was just in George's blood."
advertisement
