Daniel R. Mulville is an American engineer who served briefly as Acting Administrator of NASA in 2001.
Mulville received his bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering in 1962, a master's degree in engineering in 1966 from The George Washington University and a Ph.D. in structural mechanics from Catholic University in 1974. From 1986 to 1990, Mulville was Deputy Director of the Materials and Structures Division in the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology, NASA Headquarters. He served as NASA's Chief Engineer from 1995 to 1999. He was responsible for overall review of the technical readiness and execution of all NASA programs. He provided an integrated focus for Agencywide engineering policies, standards, and practices.
He served briefly as acting Administrator of NASA, starting on November 19, 2001, as the result of the resignation of Daniel Goldin. As an Associate Deputy Administrator, Mulville was the highest ranking NASA official at the time, due to the vacancy in the office of the Deputy Administrator.
Mulville has been awarded the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and has received the Meritorious and Distinguished Executive Rank Awards for management and leadership.