He was originally scheduled to fly on STS-113 as pilot; however, he was grounded from spaceflight due to a severe back injury.

He later completed 30 credits of coursework toward a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering at the Florida Institute of Technology.

In the fall of 2005 a NASA medical evaluation determined that his previous injuries disqualified him from further space flight assignments.

Colonel Loria requested a transfer back to the US Marine Corps and left NASA in February 2005.

Selected by NASA in April 1996 as an Astronaut Candidate, Loria reported to the Johnson Space Center in August 1996.

Loria was initially assigned technical duties in the Astronaut Office as an Ascent and Entry CAPCOM.

Assigned as pilot on STS-113, Loria was medically grounded after he experienced two herniated discs in his lower back during the summer of 2002.

He earned an MPA in June 2004, and was selected as a Fellow at the Center for Business and Government (a policy institute or think tank) at the Kennedy School.

He became a member of the Senior Executive Service and served as the Director of the Earth Resources Observation and Science center (EROS), with the U.S. Geological Survey in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

With SAIC and later Leidos, he worked on National strategic programs with the Defense Information Systems Agency at Fort Meade, MD.