Amit Kshatriya
Associate Administrator
Office of the Administrator
10 reports
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
NASA Organization and Leadership Structure
Government · Matrix structure · 18K employees · Washington, DC
4
Agency head span
↓ tighter than peers (avg 8)
3.2
Avg span
moderate
3
Max depth
3 levels
Interactive org chart
National Aeronautics and Space Administration organizational chart
Explore the agency leadership model, component structure, and reporting layers from official public sources.
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This org chart is derived from NASA’s official Organization page, reflecting headquarters leadership, mission directorates, and key staff offices as of April 2026, and illustrating NASA’s matrix governance model.
What to model
Use the chart to test org decisions, not just view reporting lines
Start with the public baseline, then use the scenario views and source-backed changes to ask what happens when leadership, span, or team ownership shifts.
Scenario views in the chart
- Add Agency-wide AI and Data Officer Model adding a Chief AI and Data Officer reporting to the Associate Administrator to coordinate AI, data governance, and analytics across mission directorates.
Atlas work this supports
- Compare public operating models Use this official-source baseline to compare agencies, components, reporting layers, and field-office networks.
- Model vacancies and transitions Create planning scenarios for acting leaders, new offices, component moves, and cross-agency coordination changes.
- Keep an official source trail Track source URLs, leadership updates, and agency structure changes in one Atlas workspace for review.
The people
Key leaders and offices
5 senior leadership roles or offices from official public sources. Use this section as a current agency-leadership index, not a private-company filing table.
Casey Swails
Deputy Associate Administrator
Office of the Administrator
3 reports
Jared Isaacman
Administrator
Office of the Administrator
20 reports
Jaclyn Jester
Chief of Staff
Office of the Administrator
3 reports
Robert H. Steinau
Acting Inspector General
Office of Inspector General
0 reports
The operating model
How National Aeronautics and Space Administration divides the work
5 offices, branches, or components organize the agency mission. Tile size scales with estimated staff where public estimates exist.
Science Mission Directorate
p16
Leads NASA’s science programs in Earth science, planetary science, astrophysics, and heliophysics.
Space Operations Mission Directorate
p17
Manages human spaceflight operations, the International Space Station, and space transportation systems.
Aeronautics Research Mission Directorate
p18
Conducts research to advance aviation safety, efficiency, and environmental sustainability.
Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate
p19
Develops systems and capabilities for human exploration beyond low Earth orbit, including Artemis.
Mission Support Directorate
p21
Provides agency-wide support services including procurement, infrastructure, human capital, and shared services.
The agency brief
What this U.S. agency structure tells us
NASA is an independent U.S. federal agency responsible for the nation’s civil space program and aeronautics research. It operates under statutory authority granted by Congress and reports to the President of the United States. Structurally, NASA is distinctive for its matrix organization: mission directorates manage programs and missions, while mission support offices provide shared services such as engineering, safety, procurement, IT, and human capital across all programs and centers. This allows NASA to integrate science, exploration, aeronautics, and technology development while leveraging specialized expertise distributed across headquarters and field centers. The agency’s public mission is to explore space, advance scientific knowledge, develop new technologies, and share benefits with the American public and international partners.
- Matrix organization combining mission directorates and shared support offices
- Large network of field centers reporting through headquarters mission leadership
The comparison
Compare with related agencies
Compared with the National Science Foundation (NSF), which primarily funds external research, NASA is both a research-performing and mission-operating agency with large in-house technical staff and facilities. Unlike the Department of Defense, NASA’s missions are civil and non-military, and its matrix structure more …
Senior office count
Reporting depth
National Aeronautics and Space Administration
3 levels
3 levels
5 levels
Current signals
What changed recently
No recent leadership changes are documented on the official source page beyond acting designations.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who leads the National Aeronautics and Space Administration?
NASA is led by the Administrator, currently Jared Isaacman.
What does the National Aeronautics and Space Administration do?
NASA conducts the nation’s civil space program, advances scientific discovery, develops new technologies, and performs aeronautics research for the benefit of humanity.
What are the major offices or components of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration?
Major components include the Science, Space Operations, Aeronautics Research, Exploration Systems Development, and Mission Support Directorates, along with staff offices and field centers.
Who does the National Aeronautics and Space Administration report to?
NASA is an independent federal agency that reports to the President of the United States and is overseen by Congress.
How can this org chart be used for planning or analysis?
The org chart helps planners understand reporting lines, mission ownership, and how support functions integrate across NASA’s programs and centers.
Sources
Reference
Cite this page
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APA 7th
Creately. (2026). National Aeronautics and Space Administration organizational structure. Creately. Retrieved , from https://creately.com/org-chart/us-government/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration/MLA 9th
"National Aeronautics and Space Administration Organizational Structure." Creately, April 1, 2026, https://creately.com/org-chart/us-government/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration/. Accessed .Chicago 17
Creately. "National Aeronautics and Space Administration Organizational Structure." Last modified April 1, 2026. https://creately.com/org-chart/us-government/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration/.Permanent URL: https://creately.com/org-chart/us-government/national-aeronautics-and-space-administration/ · last updated 2026-04-01