NASA elevates Indian American Amit Kshatriya to key admin role

As associate administrator, Kshatriya will serve as senior advisor to Duffy, lead NASA’s 10 center directors and mission directorate associate administrators, and act as the agency’s chief operating officer.

Amit Kshatriya / NASA

Indian American robotics engineer Amit Kshatriya has been named the new associate administrator at National Aeronautics and Space Administration, acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy announced on Sept. 3

As associate administrator, Kshatriya will serve as senior advisor to Duffy, lead NASA’s 10 center directors and mission directorate associate administrators, and act as the agency’s chief operating officer.

Also Read: Indian-origin students among recipients of ASA research grants

A 20-year NASA veteran, Kshatriya most recently served as deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars Program in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) at NASA Headquarters. In that role, he oversaw planning and implementation of crewed missions to the Moon through Artemis in preparation for future missions to Mars.

“Amit has spent more than two decades as a dedicated public servant at NASA, working to advance American leadership in space. Under his leadership, the agency will chart a bold vision to return to the Moon during President Trump’s term,” Duffy said. “Amit’s knowledge, integrity, and unwavering commitment to pioneering a new era of exploration make him uniquely qualified to lead our agency as associate administrator.”

Before his Moon to Mars Program role, Kshatriya was acting deputy associate administrator for the Common Exploration Systems Development Division, where he provided leadership and integration for the Space Launch System, Orion, and Exploration Ground Systems Programs, as well as Artemis Campaign Development initiatives.

Since joining NASA in 2003, Kshatriya has worked as a software engineer, robotics engineer, and spacecraft operator, primarily focused on the robotic assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). From 2014 to 2017, he served as a space station flight director, leading global teams in the operations and execution of the station.

From 2017 to 2021, he became deputy, and later acting manager, of the ISS Vehicle Office, responsible for sustaining engineering, logistics, and hardware program management. In 2021, he was assigned to NASA Headquarters, where he played a key role in the Artemis I mission.

Born in Brookfield, Wisconsin, and raised in Katy, Texas, Kshatriya is the son of first-generation Indian immigrants. He holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from the California Institute of Technology and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin. He is among a select group of about 100 people in history to have served as a mission control flight director.

Kshatriya’s appointment underscores the Trump administration’s focus on advancing the Artemis campaign and strengthening partnerships with the U.S. commercial space sector.

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