Amit Kshatriya, an Indian-American NASA veteran, has been appointed as Associate Administrator and Chief Operating Officer (COO), the highest-ranking civil service position at NASA. Acting NASA Administrator Sean P. Duffy announced the appointment on September 3, 2025.
With over 20 years of experience, Kshatriya has been a key figure in NASA’s human space exploration efforts, particularly the Artemis program aimed at returning humans to the Moon and planning future missions to Mars. He will now serve as Duffy’s chief advisor and oversee NASA’s 10 center directors and various mission directorates from Headquarters in Washington, D.C.
Kshatriya began his NASA career in 2003 as a software and robotics engineer, focusing on the robotic assembly of the International Space Station (ISS). Between 2014 and 2017, he was a space station flight director, managing operations for the ISS. In 2021, he moved to NASA Headquarters in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate, playing a pivotal role in Artemis I, the first mission in NASA’s return to lunar exploration.
As deputy head of NASA’s Moon to Mars Program, Kshatriya oversaw crewed mission planning and implementation for the Artemis program, including the development of the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket, Orion spacecraft, and Exploration Ground Systems. His leadership ensured these critical programs aligned with NASA’s long-term goals of lunar exploration and Mars missions.
Throughout his career, Kshatriya has received several NASA awards, including the Outstanding Leadership Medal for his role as lead flight director for the 50th ISS expedition and the Silver Snoopy Award, which astronauts grant for contributions to flight safety.
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 (Caltech) and a Master’s degree in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin. He is one of the few individuals to serve as a mission control flight director, highlighting his exceptional expertise in space operations.
Kshatriya’s appointment marks a significant step in NASA’s commitment to advancing human space exploration. With his extensive experience and vision, he is set to lead the agency’s ambitious lunar and Martian missions, helping maintain the U.S.’s leadership in space innovation.
