Janet Petro has been appointed as the acting administrator of NASA, becoming the agency’s first woman lead. Her appointment was made on Trump’s first day back in office and comes as a surprise to many, given that the role is typically taken by the top civil servant.
Petro, born in 1960 in Michigan, developed an interest in space at a young age due to her father’s work with Chrysler on NASA projects. She graduated from West Point with a degree in engineering and later served in the army before entering private sector roles.
As deputy director of John F. Kennedy Space Center, Petro was appointed in 2007 and later became the center’s first woman director in 2021. Her appointment as acting administrator marks a historic milestone for women in NASA leadership.
Petro has been making changes at the agency, including closing all Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Accessibility (DEIA) offices and ending DEIA-related contracts. She cited an executive order by President Trump, stating that these programs “divided Americans by race” and “resulted in shameful discrimination.”
As acting administrator, Petro is expected to be succeeded by Jared Isaacman, who was nominated by Trump last year but still needs to go through the confirmation process in the U.S. Senate.
Petro’s appointment marks a significant shift for NASA and highlights her commitment to supporting the agency’s mission and core values despite potential changes to policies under the new administration.
Source: https://www.space.com/space-exploration/missions/who-is-janet-petro-trumps-pick-for-acting-nasa-administrator