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6h ago

NASA Reorganizes Mission Directorates to Speed Artemis and Moon Base Work

The change concentrates authority to speed moon and nuclear programs before Congress sets NASA’s budget.

NASA's headquarters building in Washington. Credit: NASA
Artist’s rendering of conceptual Moon Base.
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Overview

  • NASA announced the realignment on May 22, 2026, merging Exploration Systems Development with Space Operations into a Human Spaceflight Mission Directorate and combining Aeronautics Research with Space Technology into a Research and Technology Mission Directorate.
  • Mission directorates will report directly to Administrator Jared Isaacman and the associate administrator will also serve as NASA chief engineer to shorten decision lines and give program managers clearer authority.
  • The agency named several senior leaders and program managers, including Dr. Lori Glaze to lead HSMD, Dr. James Kenyon in senior RTMD roles, and Carlos García-Galán as Moon Base program manager.
  • RTMD will host a new Space Reactor Office to drive nuclear power and propulsion work, with Steve Sinacore serving as acting director for that office.
  • Isaacman said there will be no layoffs, program cancellations, or center closures, NASA will compete the Jet Propulsion Laboratory management contract, and the move arrives as the White House seeks deep cuts while the House has moved to keep funding flat ahead of Senate action.