"This is a big challenge for me," Parsons told journalists, adding he felt "quite a lot of trepidation" in taking on his new responsibilities.

Columbia disintegrated just sixteen minutes away from landing as it re-entered Earth's atmosphere on February 1, killing all seven astronauts on board.

The shuttle programme has been suspended ever since.

"I have a reputation for being a good listener. If things need to be changed, we'll change them. But at this point, we'll stick with what we know," he said.

Parsons, 46, had worked at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, and the Johnson centre in Houston -- where he was deputy director -- before taking the reins at Stennis.

Michael Kostelnik, Deputy Associate Administrator for the Space Shuttle and International Space Station Programs, called Parsons "a natural born leader."

"We could not have asked for a better candidate," he said.

Parsons will take over the directorship of NASA's space shuttle programme from Ron Dittemore, 51, who resigned in April after 26 years with the US space agency.

His decision predated the Columbia disaster, and he had delayed his departure in order to deal with the aftermath of the tragedy, he said.

The two men would work in tandem for a while to ensure a smooth transition, but a final handover date was still to be fixed, Kostelnik added.

SPACE.WIRE