Janet Petro has been appointed as the acting administrator of NASA, making history as the first woman to hold the position since the agency’s founding in 1958. This appointment comes after President Donald Trump took office, with Petro replacing Bill Nelson, the 14th NASA administrator.

In her new role, Petro is responsible for overseeing NASA’s budget, programs, and operations until the U.S. Senate confirms a new administrator. Notably, Trump had nominated entrepreneur and commercial astronaut Jared Isaacman for the role in December 2024.

Before this appointment, Petro served as the 11th director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Her previous roles included managing NASA’s missions and overseeing the Kennedy team, as well as leading initiatives to improve government processes and support commercial space operations. She also served a 12-month stint at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., as the deputy associate administrator.

Petro’s career began in the U.S. Army after she graduated from the US Military Academy at West Point in 1981. She also holds a Master of Science degree in business administration from Boston University’s Metropolitan College.

In addition, NASA saw other leadership changes. Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy left her office, and Jim Free was appointed as the new associate administrator, responsible for leading NASA’s 10 center directors and supporting the agency’s deep space exploration plans, including the Artemis missions.