NASA announced Friday the creation of a new directorate that will focus on both the International Space Station operations and human exploration beyond low earth orbit. The Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate combines the Space Operations and Exploration Systems mission directorates. While the transition and personnel assignments will take several weeks to finalize, the directorate already is supporting space station operations. It also will manage commercial crew and cargo developmental programs; construction of the Orion Multipurpose Crew Vehicle, a spacecraft designed to travel beyond low Earth orbit; development of a new heavy lift rocket, known as the Space Launch System; and other programs within the directorates. "America is opening a bold new chapter in human space exploration," NASA Administrator Charles Bolden said in a statement. "By combining the resources of Space Operations and Exploration Systems, and creating the Human Exploration and Operations Mission Directorate, we are recommitting ourselves to American leadership in space for years to come." Associate Administrator Bill Gerstenmaier will head the new organization. He previously served as the associate administrator for Space Operations.