James R. Thompon served as director of the Marshall Space Flight Center from September 29, 1986 until July 6, 1989, when he was appointed as NASA Deputy Administrator. Prior to his tenure as Marshall's Director, Thompson served from March to June 1986 as the vice-chairman of the NASA task force investigating the cause of the Space Shuttle Challenger accident. He was credited with playing a significant role in returning the Space Shuttle to flight following the Challenger disaster.