Amit Kshatriya, an Indian-origin robotics engineer, has been appointed as the new associate administrator of NASA, the agency’s top civil service role. The 20-year NASA veteran was most recently serving as the deputy in charge of the Moon to Mars Programme in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) at NASA headquarters in Washington.
NASA, in a press release dated September 3, stated, “Acting NASA Administrator Sean P Duffy on Wednesday named Amit Kshatriya as the new associate administrator of NASA, the agency’s top civil service role.”
Early Life and Education
Born in Wisconsin to Indian immigrant parents and raised in Katy, Texas, Kshatriya was educated at the California Institute of Technology (CalTech) and the University of Texas at Austin. His father, an engineer, and mother, a chemist, stressed the importance of an education in math and science.
Career at NASA
Kshatriya joined NASA in 2003 and went on to hold multiple roles, including software engineer, robotics engineer, and spacecraft operator, primarily focusing on the robotic assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). He is also one of only about 100 people in history to serve as a mission control flight director.
Earlier, as the first head of NASA’s Moon to Mars Programme, Kshatriya was responsible for planning and implementing crewed missions to the Moon through the Artemis campaign, laying the foundation for humanity’s first mission to Mars.
Awards and Recognition
Kshatriya’s contributions to space exploration have been widely recognized. He was awarded the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal in April 2017 for his exemplary role as the lead flight director for the 50th expedition to the space station. In January 2013, he was honoured with the Silver Snoopy (Astronaut’s Personal Achievement Award) for his actions as lead robotics officer for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Dragon demonstration mission.
Role as Associate Administrator
In his new role, Kshatriya serves as the highest-ranking civil servant at NASA, acting as senior advisor to Administrator Sean P Duffy, and as the agency’s chief operating officer. He now leads NASA’s 10 centre directors, as well as the mission directorate associate administrators at NASA headquarters in Washington.
“Promoting Kshatriya to NASA’s top ranks puts America’s return to the Moon through Artemis at the very core of our agency. The move exemplifies President Donald J Trump and Duffy’s seriousness about returning Americans to the Moon and before China,” the agency statement said.
NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy added, “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.”
He continued, “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. With Amit, we’ll continue to push the boundaries of what’s possible.”
Personal Life
According to the Caltech alumni blog, Kshatriya and his wife have three children.
