Artemis launch director Charlie Blackwell-Thompson has made history before. She cemented her spot in space history as NASA’s first female launch director. Now she’s added to her story by leading the first test flight of the agency’s Space Launch System rocket and Orion spacecraft.
She also took part in a Kennedy Space Center tradition involving a tie and scissors, which we’ll explain in just a moment.
Shortly after the overnight launch of the Artemis I mission, Blackwell-Thompson who has held the director role since 2016, delivered a message to her team at Kennedy Space Center.
“This is your moment,” said Blackwell-Thompson. “It is not by chance that you are here today, so I want you to look around, look around at this team, and know that you have earned it. You have earned your place in the room, you have earned this moment, you have earned your place in history.”
Watch Blackwell-Thompson’s message after the launch
Blackwell-Thompson spoke about being part of such an historic first and the importance of appreciating the moment they were in. She then grabbed a pair of scissors and announced that it was time for her to take part in a NASA tradition of having her tie cut.
Continuing with the tradition of the tie-cutting, former Space Shuttle launch director, Mike Leinbach, cuts the tie of Kennedy's first female launch director, Charlie Blackwell-Thompson.
— NASA's Kennedy Space Center (@NASAKennedy) November 16, 2022
The tradition signifies the first time in a console position after a successful launch. pic.twitter.com/3nrLWRU4Lr
Former space shuttle launch director Mike Leinbach cut the tie for her. NASA says it’s a tradition that signifies the first time someone’s served in a console position for a successful launch.
In an article about a different NASA tradition centered around baked beans, the tie tradition is briefly explained as follows: One of the few KSC traditions that excludes eating is the cutting of a rookie’s necktie after launch. A customary practice among aviators following their first solo flight, launch directors, NASA test directors and engineers humbly endure this borrowed ceremony. Shortly after liftoff, a Kennedy manager uses scissors to hack off the necktie just inches below the knot -- in front of the entire launch team.
Blackwell-Thompson offered to stay all night to cut the ties of anyone on her team who wanted her to do the honor for them.
About Charlie Blackwell-Thompson
According to NASA.gov, Blackwell-Thompson graduated from Clemson University in 1988 and began work at Kennedy Space Center as a payload flight software engineer for The Boeing Company. She joined NASA in 2004 as a NASA test director in the Launch and Landing Division.
She went on to hold various roles in the space shuttle program through the retirement of the shuttle and was ultimately named launch director in January of 2016.
According to her biography on NASA’s website: Blackwell-Thompson is the holder of multiple patents related to launch vehicle interface standardization concepts, and command and control methods and systems. She has also received numerous awards.
You can read more about Blackwell-Thompson’s accomplishments here.