Indian-origin robotics engineer to head NASA’s new Moon to Mars office

Washington: Indian-origin software and robotics engineer, Amit Kshatriya has been appointed as first head of NASA’s new Moon to Mars Programme Office at the agency’s headquarters in Washington.

The new office aims to carry out NASA’s human exploration activities at the Moon and Mars for the benefit of humanity.

“The Moon to Mars Programme Office will help prepare NASA to carry out our bold missions to the Moon and land the first humans on Mars,” said NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, in a statement.

“The golden age of exploration is happening right now, and this new office will help ensure that NASA successfully establishes a long-term lunar presence needed to prepare for humanity’s next giant leap to the Red Planet.”

As directed by the 2022 NASA Authorization Act, the Moon to Mars Programme Office focuses on hardware development, mission integration, and risk management functions for programmes critical to the agency’s exploration approach that uses Artemis missions at the Moon to open a new era of scientific discovery and prepare for human missions to Mars.

This includes the Space Launch System rocket, Orion spacecraft, supporting ground systems, human landing systems, spacesuits, Gateway, and more related to deep space exploration.

The new office will also lead planning and analysis for long-lead developments to support human Mars missions.

The office resides within the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD), and Kshatriya, appointed as deputy associate administrator, will report to its Associate Administrator Jim Free.

Kshatriya previously served as acting deputy associate administrator for Common Exploration Systems Development, providing leadership and integration across several of the programmes that now fall within the new office.

In the new role, Kshatriya is responsible for programme planning and implementation for human missions to the Moon and Mars.A

He will direct and lead the programmes to ensure Artemis and Mars planning, development, and operations are consistent with ESDMD requirements, and will serve as the single point of focus for risk management.

Kshatriya began his career in the space programme in 2003, working as a software engineer, robotics engineer, and spacecraft operator primarily focused on the robotic assembly of the International Space Station.

From 2014 to 2017, he served as a space station flight director, where he led global teams in the operations and execution of the space station during all phases of flight.

From 2017 to 2021, he became deputy, and then acting manager, of the ISS Vehicle Office, where he was responsible for sustaining engineering, logistics, and hardware programme management.

In 2021, he was assigned to NASA Headquarters in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate as an assistant deputy associate administrator, where he was an integral part of the team that returned a spacecraft designed to carry humans to the Moon during the Artemis I mission.

Son of first-generation Indian immigrants to the US, Kshatriya holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, California, and a Master of Arts in Mathematics from The University of Texas at Austin.

He has also been decorated with the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal for actions as the lead flight director for the 50th expedition to the space station, as well as the Silver Snoopy — an award that astronauts bestow for outstanding performance contributing to flight safety — for his actions as lead robotics officer for the Commercial Orbital Transportation Services Dragon demonstration mission to the orbiting laboratory.
IANS

‘Dedicate it to bright future of India’s youth, their aspirations’: PM Modi on receiving Ghana’s top national honour

Accra: After receiving the 'Officer of the Order of the Star of Ghana', the country's national honour by Ghana President John Dramani Mahama, Prime Minister Narendra Modi dedicated the honour...

Delhi to Jaipur in three hours as trial run on new expressway link begins

Jaipur: The trial run on the Bandikui-Jaipur Link Expressway, connecting the Delhi-Mumbai Expressway to Jaipur, started on Wednesday. The journey from Jaipur to Delhi will now take just 2.5 to...

Uttarakhand: Political row erupts as licensing becomes mandatory for food vendors during Kanwar Yatra

New Delhi: The Uttarakhand government has mandated all food vendors catering to Kanwar Yatra pilgrims to prominently display their photo ID and shop license number, in a bid to ensure...

Iranian President issues order to suspend cooperation with IAEA

Tehran: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on Wednesday issued an order to enact a law to suspend the country's cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). The law calls for...

Macron, Putin hold phone conversation on Iran, Ukraine

Paris: French President Emmanuel Macron and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Iran's nuclear program and the Ukraine situation in their first phone conversation since 2022. On Iran, Macron emphasised that...

10 injured as students, police clash in Bangladesh

Dhaka: At least 10 people, including four police personnel, were injured in a violent clash between police and members of the Students Against Discrimination (SAD) outside the Patiya Police Station...

With 79 pc forest cover, Arunachal contributes big to India’s carbon sequestration, says CM Khandu

Itanagar: Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu on Wednesday said the state, with 79 per cent forest cover, contributes 14.38 per cent of India’s total carbon sequestration. The Chief Minister...

Naseeruddin Shah’s remarks on Diljit and Kailasa draw BJP’s ire, Ram Kadam calls him “anti-Hindu”

New Delhi: Veteran actor Naseeruddin Shah has landed in the middle of a political firestorm after his social media post in support of Punjabi singer Diljit Dosanjh triggered strong condemnation...

Shubhanshu Shukla leads experiment to decode muscle loss in space

New Delhi: IAF Group Captain Shubhanshu Shukla has undertaken a key experiment to decode muscle health in space -- crucial for astronauts undertaking long space missions as well as for...

Trump administration escalates legal battles with Los Angeles

Sacramento: The US Justice Department has sued the City of Los Angeles, Mayor Karen Bass, and the City Council, asking a federal judge to strike down the city's "sanctuary" ordinance...

G7 FMs call for resumption of negotiations on Iran’s nuclear program

Ottawa: The Group of Seven (G7) foreign ministers called for the resumption of negotiations to reach a comprehensive, verifiable and durable agreement that addresses Iran's nuclear program. In a joint...

Bengaluru stampede: Setback for Karnataka govt as CAT quashes IPS officer’s suspension

Bengaluru: In a setback to the Karnataka government, the Central Administrative Tribunal (CAT) has set aside the suspension order of senior IPS officer Vikash Kumar Vikash in connection with the...

Read Previous

Centre unveils foreign trade policy 2023-2028, focus on boosting exports to $2 tn

Read Next

Six die of suffocation after fire breaks out in house in Delhi

WP2Social Auto Publish Powered By : XYZScripts.com