Posted: Fri, Mar 27, 2009, 9:40 PM ET (0140 GMT)
The director of NASA's Marshall Space Flight Center stepped down from his post Thursday, ending a 25-year career with the space agency. David King resigned Thursday to take a position as executive vice president of Dynetics; a NASA press release said his retirement took effect immediately while other media reports indicated he would remain on the job through April 3. King, who joined NASA in 1983 working on the shuttle program, had been center director since June 2003. He will be replaced on an interim basis by Robert M. Lightfoot, the deputy center director.

Related Links:

•  Huntsville Times article
•  AP article
•  NASA press release