Makenzie Lystrup, former vice president and general manager of Ball Aerospace‘s civil space unit, has been sworn in as director of the Goddard Space Flight Center.
Lystrup, who takes over for acting center director Dave Mitchell, will be the first woman to lead the NASA research laboratory, the space agency announced Friday.
Earlier in her career, Lystrup was a postdoctoral research fellow of astronomy and astrophysics at the National Science Foundation. She also spent a year as a science policy fellow at the U.S. House of Representatives.
She joined Ball Aerospace in 2013 as business development manager of space sciences and technologies. She served in various roles before being appointed as the company’s civil space VP and GM.
“As center director, she will lead a world-renowned team of scientists, engineers, and technologists focused on Earth and space science. Under her leadership, the Goddard workforce will continue to inspire, innovate, and explore the unknown for the benefit of all,” NASA Administrator Bill Nelson said.
Mitchell, who was chosen as Goddard’s interim director in January, will return to NASA’s headquarters and continue his responsibilities as chief program management officer.
