Washington, D.C., USA: Indian-origin space expert Amit Kshatriya has been appointed as the associate administrator of NASA, the highest-ranking civil service position at the U.S. space agency. The announcement was made on Wednesday by Acting Administrator Sean P. Duffy, who commended Kshatriya for his leadership in shaping the future of American space exploration.
In this new capacity, Kshatriya will serve as NASA’s chief operating officer, managing ten centre directors and the heads of the agency’s mission directorates. He will also be the primary advisor to Administrator Duffy, giving him responsibility for both daily operations and long-term planning.
Kshatriya, who has spent two decades with NASA, previously held the role of deputy head of the Moon to Mars Program under the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate. He played a crucial role in shaping the Artemis program, which aims to establish a human presence on the Moon and set the foundation for the first crewed mission to Mars.
Since joining NASA in 2003, Kshatriya has handled several important assignments. Notably, he was among the small group of about 100 individuals in history to serve as a mission control flight director. He directed the 50th Expedition of the International Space Station and was the lead robotics officer for the Cargo Dragon demonstration mission. His achievements have earned him NASA’s Outstanding Leadership Medal and the prestigious Silver Snoopy Award, a recognition from astronauts for outstanding contributions to crew safety.
Kshatriya holds a bachelor’s degree in Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology and a master’s in Mechanical Engineering from the University of Texas at Austin. He is highly regarded for blending deep technical knowledge with strategic foresight.
Highlighting the significance of the appointment, Duffy stated that Kshatriya’s leadership would be vital in advancing the Artemis program. “Amit’s expertise and dedication will be central to returning astronauts to the Moon and preparing for the next giant leap—sending humans to Mars,” he said.
The announcement comes at a time when the U.S. is working to expand collaboration with private space companies and safeguard its position against global competition, particularly China’s fast-growing space initiatives.
With this achievement, Kshatriya joins the growing ranks of Indian Americans who are making major contributions to U.S. science, technology, and space research, reinforcing their role in shaping the future of space exploration.
