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Acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy on Wednesday announced the appointment of Amit Kshatriya as the new associate administrator of NASA, the agency’s top civil service position. With 20 years of experience in NASA, he brings extensive experience and a deep commitment to space exploration, particularly in leading efforts to return humans to the Moon and prepare for future missions to Mars.
Amit Kshatriya is the new associate administrator of NASA, the agency’s top civil service role.https://t.co/gv0ZJ1Aenj
— Eric Berger (@SciGuySpace) September 3, 2025
Kshatriya previously served as the deputy in charge of the Moon to Mars Program within NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD). In that role, he oversaw the planning and execution of crewed lunar missions under NASA’s Artemis Program, which aims to establish a sustainable human presence on the Moon.
Born in Wisconsin, Kshatriya earned degrees from the California Institute of Technology and the University of Texas at Austin. NASA says his distinguished career includes serving as a mission control flight director, a rare and prestigious role held by only about 100 people in history.
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With Kshatriya’s promotion, NASA hopes to advance its mission of beating China in the race to the Moon.
Duffy praised Kshatriya’s qualifications, saying, “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.”
Reacting to the appointment, billionaire entrepreneur Jared Isaacman, who was once a candidate for NASA administrator until his fallout with US President Donald Trump, said “This is a win” on X.
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