Cliff Farmer Johnson Space Center Tree Memorial

This fundraiser is for a Johnson Space Center (JSC) Tree Memorial in honor of Cliff Farmer and his 38 years of service with NASA.

Cliff joined NASA/JSC in June 1984 as a simulation engineer in the Flight Simulation Division of the Mission Support Directorate and was responsible for maintenance of the Digital Image Generator software in the Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS). Cliff transferred to the Systems Development Division in the Mission Operations Directorate (MOD) in June of 1988, where he developed analytical software tools for the SMS. In January of 1991, Cliff transferred to the Flight Software Reconfiguration Division in MOD to develop Flight Software Reconfiguration software tools and processes for the Space Station and was selected as Chief of the Space Station Reconfiguration Office in February 1992. In November of 1996, Cliff transferred to the Automation, Robotics & Simulation Division (ARSD) in the Engineering Directorate to develop intelligent software applications for robotic technology and space flight systems under Chief Scientist Dr. Jon Erickson. He was selected as Chief of the Intelligent Systems Branch in May of 1998, where he managed the ARSD software technology development activities. Cliff was promoted to Associate Chief of the ARSD in November of 2005, responsible for managing the division infrastructure and was selected as Deputy Manager of the Engineering Directorate Systems Architecture and Integration Office in July 2008 under Walt Guy. Cliff returned to the renamed Software, Robotics & Simulation Division (ER) as Deputy Division Chief in June 2010 under Dr. Rob Ambrose and then Dr. Steven Fredrickson. Cliff retired from NASA in May of 2022.

Cliff’s wide-ranging career touched many lives in two JSC directorates. The most common and consistent character trait mentioned of Cliff through his years of service at NASA, apart from his technical expertise, was his “down-home” and gentlemanly nature in all his encounters with people. During his 11-year battle with cancer, Cliff’s perseverance was powered by his faith in his Lord and served as an extraordinary testimony to his family and friends.

The Johnson Space Center Memorial Tree Program allows friends and family to plant a tree on the JSC property in memory of a NASA employee. This fund-raiser will collect funds for the Tree Memorial in memory of Cliff. If funds are collected above and beyond the cost of the Tree Memorial, the remaining funds will be donated to the Farmer family’s charity of choice.