Charlie Blackwell-Thompson

[1] She oversaw the countdown and liftoff of NASA's Space Launch System (SLS) rocket and Orion spacecraft during its first flight test, called Artemis 1.

[3] As a child, Blackwell-Thompson watched the Saturn V launches and was inspired by the idea of exploration the astronauts were doing.

[1] She credits her high school physics teacher, Doc Wilson, for encouraging her to look into engineering.

[1] Following the Space Shuttle's retirement, Blackwell-Thompson served as the Ground Systems Development Office's Test Management Branch chief.

The team included veteran controllers from space shuttle processing and launches along with many newer engineers.

Blackwell-Thompson holds multiple patents related to launch vehicle interface standardization concepts and command and control methods and systems.

STS-133 Assistant Shuttle Launch Director and lead NASA Test Director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson watches the launch of Space Shuttle Discovery with Stephanie Stilson and Mike Leinbach
Apollo launch engineer JoAnn Morgan speaks with Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, the first female launch director, who will lead countdown and launch for NASA's Exploration Mission-1.
Charlie Blackwell-Thompson, Artemis I launch director, is seen in Firing Room One of the Rocco A. Petrone Launch Control Center as NASA’s Space Launch System (SLS) rocket with the Orion spacecraft aboard atop a mobile launcher rolls out of High Bay 3 of the Vehicle Assembly Building for the first time to Launch Complex 39B, Thursday, March 17, 2022, at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida