Janet Petro to become First Female Acting NASA Administrator

By: WE Staff | Friday, 24 January 2025

• Janet Petro becomes 1^st female to becomes acting NASA administrator
• After 17 years, she gets promoted to lead the agency

In a recent announcement, it has been revealed that Janet Petro will be taking the position of acting NASA administrator. After the stepping down of director Bill Nelson, Janet is going to be the first female to lead the agency.

National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was founded in the year 1958, catering in the Aviation and Aerospace Component Manufacturing industry with headquarters in Washington, DC. It specialises in Space, Aviation, Exploration, Aeronautics, Science, Engineering, Technology, Government, Robotics, Software, and Hardware.

In addition, Janet has been working with NASA for over 17 years now. Initially, she joined in the position of Deputy Director, Kennedy Space Center, working for 14 years and then got promoted to Center Director, Kennedy Space Center. She was the 11th director of John F. Kennedy Space Center of NASA in Florida, managing Kennedy team of civil service and contractor employees. She has also been honoured with 2022 Dr. Kurt H. Debus Award by the National Space Club Florida Committee.

“I'm humbled and honored to serve as acting Nasa Administrator during this transition period. In the coming days, we can expect to hear more about the priorities for Nasa under the Trump Administration,” Janet stated.

Adding to the statement, she said, “Nasa will continue to support and align with the policies set forth by the new administration, while remaining steadfast in our commitment to Nasa's mission and core values. This is a reminder to our NASA workforce to lean into new experiences, because when we shy away from things that challenge us, we rob ourselves of the opportunity to grow.”