Amit Kshatriya serves as NASA’s associate administrator and chief engineer, and is NASA’s highest-ranking civil servant and chief operating officer.
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He joined NASA in 2003, served as a flight director for the International Space Station, and previously held the role of deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars Program.
Where Amit Kshatriya Is Now
Amit Kshatriya serves as NASA’s associate administrator and chief engineer and acts as a senior advisor to the NASA administrator. He also serves as NASA’s highest-ranking civil servant and chief operating officer.
- Current role: NASA associate administrator and chief engineer, senior advisor to the NASA administrator, and chief operating officer
- Organization: NASA
- Known for: Leading NASA’s 10 center directors and headquarters mission directorate associate administrators
- Recent news: Visited research facilities at Purdue University and issued public updates on the Artemis II mission
Career and Background
Amit Kshatriya holds a bachelor of science degree in mathematics from the California Institute of Technology and a master of arts degree in mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin, according to Wikipedia.
He joined NASA in 2003 and worked as a software engineer and spacecraft operator. Kshatriya served as lead robotics officer for the SpaceX Dragon demonstration mission under the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services program, as noted on Wikipedia.
From 2014 to 2017, Kshatriya served as a flight director for the International Space Station. He served as the lead flight director for International Space Station Expedition 50, receiving the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for his role. He also served as deputy and acting manager of the International Space Station Vehicle Office, according to Wikipedia.
Agency Leadership and Responsibilities
In 2021, Kshatriya was assigned to the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate at NASA Headquarters. As deputy associate administrator for the Moon to Mars Program, he was responsible for planning and implementing human missions to the Moon and Mars, as reported on Wikipedia.
Acting NASA administrator Sean Duffy announced Kshatriya’s selection as associate administrator on September 3, 2025. In this position, Kshatriya oversees NASA’s three mission directorates and ten field centers, as detailed on Wikipedia.
According to Purdue University, Kshatriya leads NASA’s 10 center directors and the headquarters mission directorate associate administrators. Regarding agency personnel, Kshatriya praised Katherine Van Hooser for her technical expertise and leadership through complex engineering challenges, and expressed confidence that Christina Koch would continue NASA’s tradition of technical excellence as acting deputy chief engineer, as reported by Mirage News.
Recent Activities and Public Statements
During a news conference, Kshatriya stated there was high confidence in the heat shield of the Artemis II spacecraft, according to Fox News. He also remarked that the Artemis II crew would travel 400,000 miles and see what no living person has seen, as reported by The Yeshiva World, and publicly highlighted the efforts of personnel who worked to make the Artemis II mission a success, as covered by NBC News.
Kshatriya attended the inaugural Neil Armstrong Space Prize winner announcement at Purdue University, as reported by Purdue University. During his visit, he toured the Hypersonics Applied Research Facility, Maurice J. Zucrow Laboratories, and Ray W. Herrick Laboratories, as well as a low-gravity laboratory in the Neil Armstrong Hall of Engineering alongside Steven Collicott and Julie Kramer White.