Janet Petro facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Janet E. Petro
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Petro in 2015
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| Acting Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
| Assumed office January 20, 2025 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Bill Nelson |
| Succeeded by | Jared Isaacman (Nominee) |
| 11th Director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center | |
| Assumed office June 1, 2021 |
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| President | Joe Biden Donald Trump |
| Preceded by | Robert D. Cabana |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 1960 (age 64–65) Michigan |
| Citizenship | United States |
| Education | Master of Science in Business Administration, Bachelor of Science in Engineering |
| Alma mater | United States Military Academy, Boston University |
| Occupation | Director of NASA's Kennedy Space Center, Engineer |
Janet E. Petro is an American engineer and civil servant. She is currently the acting leader of NASA, which stands for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. She is also the 11th director of NASA's John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
President Donald Trump chose her to be the acting NASA Administrator on January 20, 2025. Before that, NASA Administrator Bill Nelson appointed her as the Kennedy Space Center director on June 30, 2021. She is the first woman to hold both of these important jobs. Before becoming director, Petro was the deputy director at the Kennedy Space Center.
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Janet Petro's Early Life and School
Janet Petro was born in Michigan. When she was young, her family moved to Florida. Her dad got a job with NASA. He worked on the Mercury and Gemini space programs at the Kennedy Space Center.
Janet grew up in Satellite Beach, Florida. She went to Surfside Elementary, DeLaura Middle, and Satellite High School. In 1981, she graduated from the United States Military Academy at West Point. She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering. Her class was only the second at West Point to include women. Later, she earned a Master of Science degree in business administration from Boston University.
Janet Petro's First Jobs
After graduating from West Point, Janet Petro became an officer in the U.S. Army. She was part of the Army's Aviation Branch. There, she flew helicopters and led groups of soldiers in Germany.
After her time in the Army, she worked for a company called Science Applications International Corporation. She held various management jobs there. She also worked for McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation. At this company, she was a mechanical engineer and a payload specialist. This was all before she started her career at NASA.
Deputy Director at Kennedy Space Center
As the Deputy Director of the John F. Kennedy Space Center, Janet Petro helped change the center. It became a place where many different space companies could launch rockets. This made it a "multi-user spaceport."
She also spent a year working at NASA's main office in Washington, D.C. She was the deputy associate administrator and acting director for the Office of Evaluation. Janet Petro was the first woman to be the deputy director at the Kennedy Space Center.
Awards and Recognition
Janet Petro has received several important awards for her work. In 2018, the Governor of Florida chose her for the Florida Women's Hall of Fame. This honor recognizes women who have made big contributions to Florida.
In 2019, she received the Samuel J. Heyman Service to America Sammies Management Excellence Medal. This award celebrates excellence in public service. She has also received the President's Distinguished Executive Award. This is a very high honor for leaders in the U.S. government. Another award she earned is the Silver Snoopy Award. This special award is given by NASA astronauts for outstanding work.
