When the Artemis II mission launched April 1st from Kennedy Space Center, Paintsville native Jimmy Skaggs was among those watching closely. Skaggs serves as Spacecraft Flow Manager for Lockheed Martin, the lead contractor behind NASA’s Orion spacecraft.
He’s spent the past 20 years helping prepare for human spaceflight beyond Earth’s orbit, and now finds himself part of history as astronauts head toward the moon for the first time since 1972.
Skaggs didn’t originally plan a career in space. A graduate of Centre College and a 1997 Paintsville H.S. graduate, he once aimed to become a sports agent. But a summer job opportunity at Kennedy Space Center changed his path—and ultimately led him into the space program.
Today, he helps coordinate teams working on the complex challenges of deep space travel, emphasizing communication and teamwork over technical specialization.
As Artemis II marks a major milestone, Skaggs is already looking ahead, helping develop future missions aimed at landing astronauts back on the moon in the coming years.