Omar Baez, Jr. is the NASA ELV Launch Director at the John F. Kennedy Space Center (KSC). He is responsible for directing launch campaigns and countdowns for NASA-managed expendable launch vehicle launch services.
Mr. Baez has been with the ELV Launch Services Directorate and its predecessor organization since 1993 where he served as a Propulsion and Mechanical Engineer on Scout, Pegasus, Delta II, Atlas/Centaur and Titan Launch Vehicles. In 1997, he became a Launch Operations Manager and in a dual role was also Assistant Launch Manager for several launch campaigns through the ELV Program transition in 1998. He then became a Mission Integration Manager for the Genesis, QuikSCAT, NOAA-L, HESSI, NOAA-M and Gravity Probe-B missions. Prior to his service with the ELV organization, he served as a Cryogenics System engineer on the Space Shuttle program.
Mr. Baez has received numerous group achievement awards and performance awards as well as Certificates of Commendation and Certificates of Achievement for his work on many launch campaigns at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, KSC, Vandenberg Air Force Base and the NASA Wallops Island Flight Facility.
Mr. Baez was born and raised in Miami, Florida and has earned an Associates Degree in Liberal Arts from Miami Dade Community College, a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering degree from Florida International University and a Masters in Science in Management from Florida Institute of Technology. He was also a NASA fellowship recipient and attended the International Space University 1997 Summer Session Program at Rice University.
Omar and his wife Cochi live in Merritt Island with their three Bassett Hounds. Omar enjoys his time away from work by going fishing, enjoying the local water sports and practicing Karate.