In 1960, James (Jim) William McBarron II earned a bachelor of science in geology at the University of Dayton
in Dayton, Ohio; completed the Johnson Space Center Management Development Program in 1976; and in
1983 received a master of business administration from the University of Houston - Clear Lake in Houston,
Texas. During his time in college, from 1958 to 1961, he worked part time on a University of Dayton contract
with the Wright Patterson Air Force Base Aeromedical Laboratory that provided student test subjects to
determine human endurance characteristics during and after exposure to extreme environmental conditions.
His work as a student assistant also involved pressure suit design testing including suit hardware evaluation for
X-15 pilots, Air Defense Command flight personnel, Dyna Soar, and NASA Project Mercury.
His career at NASA began in 1961 as an aerospace technologist with the Crew Equipment Branch, Life
Sciences Division, Space Task Group, at Langley Field, Virginia. During his time with NASA, McBarron
supported the Manned Spacecraft and Johnson Spacecraft Centers, and worked with spacesuits for all NASA
flight programs including Mercury, Gemini, Apollo, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project (ASTP), Skylab, Shuttle, and
International Space Station. Positions he held included contract technical manager, section head, and branch chief.
Throughout his career he was given several prestigious awards: including serving as member of the Apollo
XIII Mission Operations Team that received the "Presidential Medal of Freedom" ; the NASA Manned
Spacecraft Center Certification of Commendation for “Outstanding Contributions to Development of the A- 7B Spacesuit for Apollo 15-17 Missions"; the American Astronautical Society Victor A Prather Award for "Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Extravehicular protection In Space"; the NASA Exceptional Service Medal "In Recognition of Dedication, Outstanding Leadership, and Technical Expertise Exhibited in the Return-To-Flight Activities for the Orbiter Environmental Control Life Support System and Extravehicular Mobility Unit"; and NASA Astronauts "Silver Snoopy" personal achievement Award "For professionalism, dedication, and outstanding support in managing safe operational readiness of the Shuttle Extra Mobility Unit (EMU), Shuttle EMU design enhancements, and for providing Shuttle crew escape suits and related equipment support" .
After serving as Corresponding Member from 1993 to 1996, he was elected in 1997 as a "Full Member and
received the Diploma of Membership" in the prestigious International Academy of Astronautics", an elite
international body of 1000 individuals from 65 countries who are leaders of space and aeronautical activities in their respective countries
He is the author and co-author of many spacesuit-related publications. Before he retired in 1999, he was the
Crew and Thermal Systems Division Chief Engineer for Extravehicular Activity Projects. He then took a position with ILC Dover, Inc. as spacesuit systems manager where he reviewed advanced spacesuit technology requirements and design concepts for future manned space flight programs. He served as Chairman of the 32nd annual International Conference on Environmental Systems held in 2002.
McBarron started his own consulting service in 2002 to support development of advanced spacesuit
technology for current and future manned-space missions. He served as technical expert member of the NASA Constellation Program EVA Standing Review Board until the program was cancelled in 2010. During 2015 and 2016 he prepared and provided 11 video presentations to JSC personnel in support of the NASA NESC Academy- Knowledge Capture Program. These presentations covered the development, testing, operational support, and lessons learned for spacesuits used in all NASA Manned Spaceflight Programs.