Trump has nominated Greg Autry as NASA’s Chief Financial Officer (CFO)

NASA has stated that President Donald Trump has nominated Greg Autry for the position of Chief Financial Officer (CFO) at NASA. This announcement is a significant step for the agency, as the CFO is responsible for managing NASA’s budget, which exceeds $25 billion.

This budget supports ambitious missions to the Moon and Mars. NASA’s Acting Administrator, Janet Petro, has expressed her delight at this nomination and stated that she is excited to work with Autry.

Greg Autry is a well-known space policy expert and academic. He currently serves as the Assistant Provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy at the University of Central Florida (UCF). Additionally, he is a Visiting Professor at Imperial College London.

Autry previously worked in the Trump administration as a White House Liaison and was part of NASA’s National Review Team in 2016. His deep understanding of the space industry and research on private sector expansion make him a strong candidate for this position.

In 2020, Autry was also nominated for NASA’s CFO role, but his appointment did not receive approval from the U.S. Senate at that time. Now, in his second opportunity under the Trump administration, he has been given another chance.

Autry has also served on the Federal Aviation Administration’s (FAA) Commercial Space Transportation Advisory Committee and chaired the Business Case Subcommittee for NASA’s In-Space Production Applications.

The CFO of NASA not only manages financial resources but also ensures that every taxpayer dollar is used effectively.

According to Janet Petro, Autry’s experience makes him an ideal fit for this role. He will focus on improving NASA’s processes, increasing transparency, and ensuring efficient budget execution. This position is crucial for major goals like returning to the Moon (the Artemis program) and Mars missions.

Autry’s nomination is now awaiting approval from the U.S. Senate. It is considered a “privileged” nomination, meaning it could receive expedited approval in the Senate unless a senator raises an objection. Typically, the Senate Commerce Committee reviews such nominations, but if Autry submits his financial and personal information on time, the process could move directly to the full Senate.

If confirmed, Autry will work under NASA’s new administrator. Trump has nominated Jared Isaacman, a billionaire and private astronaut, for the NASA Administrator role.

The combination of Autry and Isaacman could steer NASA in a new direction, particularly in enhancing collaboration with the private space industry. Autry believes that space is no longer just the domain of government agencies but is increasingly shaped by contributions from private companies.