Robert died on Dec 23, 2024 at the age of 97. 

At the end of 1958, Congress officially formed NASA from NACA, and Bob returned to Langley Research Center in Virginia to join NASA's Space Task Group, the original 45-member team tasked with managing the United States' human spaceflight programs. In 1961, as NASA grew, Bob helped establish the Johnson Space Center in Houston, which became the family's new home.

Bob's Obituary - https://www.legacy.com/us/obituaries/houstonchronicle/name/robert-piland-obituary?id=57129796