Kurt “Spuds” Vogel, who has been serving in the U.S. government for more than 34 years, has been appointed associate administrator of the Space Technology Mission Directorate at NASA headquarters in Washington.
He succeeds James Reuter, who retired from the space agency in June, and will oversee strategic planning and executive leadership, as well as manage tech maturation and demonstration initiatives under the directorate, NASA said Tuesday.
“I am confident his leadership will help NASA continue pushing the boundaries of what’s possible with space technologies and advancing American leadership in space,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said of Vogel.
Vogel, a U.S. Air Force veteran, most recently served within the Office of the Administrator as director of space architectures at NASA headquarters.
Before NASA, he led research efforts in electronic warfare, space control systems, stealth technology and air-space integration at the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.
His government career includes time leading a science and technology portfolio at the Air Force Research Laboratory’s Systems Technology Office and a stint as acting chief technologist at the National Reconnaissance Office’s Survivability Assurance Office.
Prasun Desai, who has been serving as acting associate administrator at STMD, will resume his duties as deputy associate administrator for the directorate.