Meet Janet Petro - Trump's Pick to Head NASA

U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Janet Petro to lead the American space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration, simply known as NASA

[Janet Petro in a file photo (Dominic Agostini via X)]

Washington: U.S. President Donald Trump appointed Janet Petro to lead the American space agency National Aeronautics and Space Administration, simply known as NASA.

Trump appointed Janet Petro, Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, as acting Administrator of the American space agency on his very first day in office.

First woman to head NASA

Janet Petro's appointment is historic as she is the first woman to head NASA since its foundation in 1958. Janet, currently 11th Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center, will take over the 14th NASA administrator Bill Nelson.

Born in Michigan in 1960, Janet Petro, is an American Engineer and Civil Servant. She completed her graduation from the United States Military Academy. She later joined the U.S. army where her first appointment was as Commissioned Officer.

Petro also piloted helicopters and led troop assignments in Germany when she was assigned to the US Army's Aviation Branch.

Janet at the Kennedy's

After military service, she switched her over to civilian roles and worked for Science Applications International Corporation in various management positions.

Petro's interest in space and the U.S. space program was sparked at an early age, influenced by her father's work with Chrysler on NASA projects, which saw the family relocate to Florida.

Before joining NASA, Janet joined McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation as a mechanical engineer and payload specialist.

During her tenure as Deputy Director at Kennedy’s, Janet Petro helped its transition into a multi-user spaceport, leading cross-agency initiatives with the Federal Aviation Administration and U.S. Air Force to streamline government processes and support commercial space operations to increase government efficiency and limit redundancy.

Janet also served a 12-month appointment at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. as Deputy Associate Administrator and acting Director for the Office of Evaluation.

'Don't ignore new experiences'

In a message to NASA workforce, Janet Petro highlighted the importance of new experiences that actually create new opportunities.

“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,” Janet Petro wrote in a LinkedIn note after her appointment.

In 2018, Janet Petro was selected by the Florida Governor to be inducted into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame.

She also received the 2022 Dr. Kurt H. Debus Award by the National Space Club Florida Committee for her contributions to America’s aerospace efforts within the state of Florida.

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