NASA Chief Technologist

NASA Chief Technologist
StatusAbolished
Reports toNASA Administrator
AppointerNASA Administrator
Formation2010
First holderBobby Braun
Final holderA.C. Charania
AbolishedMarch 10, 2025

The chief technologist was the most senior technology position at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). The chief technologist had served as the principal advisor to the NASA Administrator in technology policy and programs, and as interface to the national and international engineering community.[1] The position had "communicate how NASA technologies benefit space missions and the day-to-day lives of Americans."[2] This position was eliminated in March 2025 as part of the Trump's administration reduction in force as a "cost-cutting measure".[3][4]

History

The chief technologist position was created to advise the NASA Administrator on budget, strategic objectives, and current content of NASA's technology programs. The chief technologist works closely with appropriate representatives of the NASA Strategic Enterprises and the Field Centers, as well as advisory committees and the external community. The chief technologist represents the agency's technology objectives and accomplishments to other federal agencies, industry, academia, other government organizations, the international community, and the general public. "The Chief Technologist leads NASA technology transfer and technology commercialization efforts, facilitating internal creativity and innovation." He also "coordinates, tracks and integrates technology investments across the agency and works to infuse innovative discoveries into future missions."[2]

The position was created in 2010 by NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden.[5] The first three chief technologists were aerospace engineering professors whose universities (specified below) entered into an intergovernmental personnel agreement with NASA. Douglas Terrier, was the NASA Johnson Space Center chief technologist before becoming the agency chief technologist.

On November 1, 2021 the Office of the Chief Technologist and the Office of Strategic Engagements and Assessments were merged into the new Office of Technology, Policy, and Strategy (OTPS). Bhavya Lal was appointed to serve as OTPS's new associate administrator. The role of the NASA chief technologist was changed to one of a staff position in the newly created OTPS. Douglas Terrier was reassigned to NASA's Johnson Space Center (JSC) in Houston to serve in a newly created position as the associate director for vision and strategy. Lal served as acting chief technologist. [6]

On January 3, 2023 A.C.Charania started his role as the agency chief technologist. Before joining NASA, Charania served as vice president of product strategy at Reliable Robotics. He previously worked in strategy and business development for the Virgin Galactic (now Virgin Orbit) LauncherOne small satellite launch vehicle program. He also served in multiple management and technology roles at SpaceWorks Enterprises, including helping to incubate two startups, Generation Orbit and Terminal Velocity Aerospace.[7]

List of chief technologists

No. Image Chief Technologist Term start Term end Notes
1 Bobby Braun February 3, 2010 September 30, 2011 [8][9][5][10]
Acting Joseph Parrish October 1, 2011 December 31, 2011 [5][11][12][13]
2 Mason Peck January 1, 2012 2013 [2][14][15][16]
3 Dave Miller March 17, 2014 2016 [17][18][19][20][21]
Acting Dennis J. Andrucyk 2016 January 17, 2017 [22][23][24]
acting Douglas Terrier 2017 2018 [25][26]
4 2018 October 31, 2021 [27][28][6]
acting Bhavya Lal November 1, 2021 January 3, 2023 [29][30]
5 A.C. Charania January 3, 2023 March 10, 2025 [31][3]
Position was eliminated in March 2025.

References

  1. ^ "Office of the Chief Technologist About Us". NASA. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  2. ^ a b c "Mason Peck, Chief Technologist". NASA. October 31, 2012. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  3. ^ a b "NASA chief scientist fired in first round of Trump-ordered cuts". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. March 12, 2025.
  4. ^ Luscombe, Richard (March 10, 2025). "Nasa announces shuttering of two departments and office of chief scientist". The Guardian.
  5. ^ a b c "NASA Chief Technologist Braun Returning to Georgia Tech". News Releases. NASA. September 6, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  6. ^ a b Margetta, Robert (November 1, 2021). "New Roles, Combined Offices for NASA Administrator Leadership Team". NASA. Retrieved April 18, 2022.
  7. ^ "NASA Names New Agency-Wide Chief Technologist". NASA. January 9, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  8. ^ "Robert D. Braun, NASA Chief Technologist". Office of the Chief Technologist. NASA. Archived from the original on September 20, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  9. ^ "Robert D. Braun, Director for Planetary Science". NASA JPL. Archived from the original on February 28, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  10. ^ "NASA Administrator Names Braun NASA Chief Technologist". SpaceNews. February 3, 2010. NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden named Robert D. Braun the agency's Chief Technologist, effective Wednesday, Feb. 3.
  11. ^ "NASA Chief Technologist Bobby Braun Statement About NRC Interim Report On NASA's Draft Space Technology Roadmaps". NASA. August 30, 2011. Archived from the original on October 28, 2020. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  12. ^ "Joseph Parrish, NASA Chief Technologist (Acting)". NASA. Archived from the original on April 7, 2023. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  13. ^ Smith, Josh (September 6, 2011). "NASA chief technologist to leave agency". Nextgov. Bobby Braun, who came to the space agency two years ago through an agreement with Georgia Tech, will leave in October, NASA said... Joseph Parrish, the deputy chief technologist, will serve as acting NASA chief technologist.
  14. ^ "NASA Administrator Names Peck Agency's Chief Technologist". NASA. November 8, 2011. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  15. ^ "UTEP Centennial Lecture by Mason Peck, Ph.D." University of Texas at El Paso. On Jan. 1, 2012, Cornell University Professor Mason Peck became NASA's chief technologist.
  16. ^ "Mason Peck Biography". Cornell University. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  17. ^ "NASA Names David W. Miller as Agency's New Chief Technologist". NASA. March 13, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  18. ^ "Chief Technologist". mit.edu. March 13, 2014. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  19. ^ "David Miller Maniac Lecture". NASA Earth Sciences. NASA. Retrieved February 20, 2021. Dr. David W. Miller began his term as the NASA chief technologist on March 17, 2014.
  20. ^ "The People of AeroAstro: Professor David Miller". AeroAstro. MIT. Archived from the original on April 13, 2021. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  21. ^ "Technology, Innovation, & Engineering Committee of the NASA Advisory Council" (PDF). OTC. NASA. March 29, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  22. ^ "Office of the Chief Technologist Update" (PDF). NASA. November 18, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  23. ^ "New Science Deputy Associate Administrator". NASA. December 21, 2016. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  24. ^ "Dennis J. Andrucyk Maniac Lecture". NASA. 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  25. ^ "NASA Acting Chief Technologist Douglas Terrier Speaks About Technology Challenges". NASA. April 9, 2018. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  26. ^ "NASA Chief Technologist Douglas Terrier and Canadian Astronaut Chris Hadfield". NASA. April 11, 2019. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  27. ^ "Douglas Terrier, Chief Technologist". NASA.gov. July 13, 2015. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  28. ^ "Douglas Terrier". LinkedIn. Retrieved February 20, 2021.
  29. ^ "NASA Names New Agency-Wide Chief Technologist". NASA. January 9, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  30. ^ Foust, Jeff (November 3, 2021). "NASA creates new technology and policy office in leadership reshuffle". SpaceNews. NASA announced Nov. 1 several changes to its leadership, primarily involving assigning existing personnel to new positions... Douglas Terrier, who had been NASA's chief technologist for five years, will move to the Johnson Space Center, where he will be associate director for vision and strategy, a new position there. Lal will serve as acting chief technologist until the agency selects a permanent successor.
  31. ^ "NASA Names New Agency-Wide Chief Technologist". NASA. January 9, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
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