Gerstenmaier graduated with a
bachelor of science in
aeronautical engineering from
Purdue University School of Aeronautics and Astronautics in 1977, and joined the
Lewis Research Center (now called the John Glenn Research Center) in
Ohio, beginning his career with NASA. Initially doing research with
supersonic wind tunnels, developing air data curve information used during entry on the
Space Shuttle. Gerstenmaier continued his education, obtaining his
master's degree in
mechanical engineering at the
University of Toledo in 1981. In 1980, Gerstenmaier moved to
Houston,
Texas, to work at the Johnson Space Center, researching
propulsion related to the Space Shuttle, and was involved in the earliest phases of the International Space Station design. In 1984, he was a semi-finalist in the selection for
NASA Astronaut Group 10. In 1988, he first served as manager of Space Shuttle Program Integration, and then went on to serve as head of the Orbital Maneuvering Vehicle Operations Office. Following that, he became Director of Space Shuttle and Space Station Freedom Assembly Operations, and was named Chief of the Projects and Facilities Branch of the Flight Design and Dynamics Division. He would oversee the
Commercial Crew Program that would see NASA pivot from the traditional model of government-owned and operated spacecraft, to one where the agency would act as a customer, purchasing flights as needed. In one particularly critical decision, Gerstenmaier pushed back when Boeing had lobbied NASA for a sole-source contract, arguing that it needed the Commercial Crew Program's full budget to develop its Starliner capsule. While Gerstenmaier considered the Starliner proposal as stronger, he was hesitant to award a sole-source contract. The multi-year Commercial Crew Program had been designed to foster competition and redundancy, and Gerstenmaier believed that selecting just one company would undermine these goals. Through his efforts, he successfully convinced NASA to delay the CCtCap announcement and secure additional funding to support two competing efforts. After four decades with the agency, NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine announced on July 10, 2019, that Gerstenmaier was being reassigned to a "special advisor" roles, which are typically considered a demotion and a way to push civil servants who can not be fired out of the agency. No reason was given for the reassignment. SpaceX hired Gerstenmaier away from NASA in February 2020 in what was originally announced as a role as a consultant to
Hans Koenigsmann, the company's vice president of mission assurance. When Koenigsmann announced he was retiring in February 2021, SpaceX said that Gerstenmaier had agreed to join the company as its Vice President of Build and Flight Reliability. In this role, Gerstenmaier has the responsibility for the safe completion of SpaceX missions. ==Awards==