In 1969, Kraft was named deputy director of the Manned Spacecraft Center (MSC). On January 14, 1972, he became the director of the MSC, replacing Gilruth, for whom Kraft had worked since his arrival at Langley in 1945.[58] Space commentator Anthony Young has described Kraft as a "superb successor" to Gilruth, second only to him in the history of center directors.[59]