James Edwin Webb (1906-1992) served ably from 1961-1968 as the second administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). NASA was at that time a very young organization, having been formally established on October 1, 1958. Presiding over such an important and complex agency called for the skills and rich experience Webb had gained negotiating Washington's political and bureaucratic scene.

Webb oversaw great progress in the Space Program during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations. He also weathered the turmoil surrounding the 1967 Apollo 1 tragedy, in which three astronauts died in a flash fire during simulation tests on the launch pad at Kennedy Space Center, Florida. Firmly committed to getting NASA back on its feet after the setback, he strove to maintain public and congressional support for the program. He succeeded, thus helping to pave the way to future NASA successes, such as the historic Apollo lunar landing, which took place shortly after his retirement from NASA in 1968. During his tenure, Webb strengthened the space science program and was responsible for over 75 launches.

Recent NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe said of Webb: "He took our nation on its first voyages of exploration, turning our imagination into reality. Indeed, he laid the foundations at NASA for one of the most successful periods of astronomical discovery. As a result, we're rewriting the textbooks today with the help of the Hubble Space Telescope, the Chandra X-ray Observatory and, in 2011, the James Webb Space Telescope."

After retiring from NASA, Webb worked with several advisory boards in Washington, D.C., and served as regent of the Smithsonian Institution. He passed away on March 27, 1992, and is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

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Webb and President John F. Kennedy discuss human space flight On Nov. 21, 1962, James Webb met with President Kennedy and a group of NASA officials to discuss finances for the Apollo program. The conversation ranges over budget concerns, the priorities of space race and the potential impact of a Moon landing.