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Orion spacecraft in the foreground and the Moon and Earth in the background on Flight Day 13 of the Artemis I mission. Orion reached its maximum distance from Earth during the Artemis I mission when it was 268,563 miles away from our home planet.

Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate

The Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate defines and manages systems development for programs critical to NASA’s Artemis program and planning for NASA’s Moon to Mars exploration approach. ESDMD manages the human exploration system development for lunar orbital, lunar surface, and Mars exploration. 

NASA has established the Moon to Mars Program Office within ESDMD to focus on hardware development, mission integration, and risk management functions for programs critical to the agency’s exploration approach. Artemis missions will open a new era of scientific discovery and economic opportunity at the Moon while validating operations and systems and to prepare for human missions to Mars. The Moon to Mars Program Office oversees development of the Space Launch System rocketOrion spacecraft, supporting ground systemshuman landing systemsspacesuitsGateway, and more related to deep space exploration. The new office will also lead planning and analysis for long-lead developments to support Mars missions.

ESDMD Leadership

Meet the leaders who are guiding NASA's return to the Moon through Artemis and the future of human exploration at Mars.

Dr. Lori Glaze is the Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD).

Lori Glaze

Acting Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development

Official NASA portrait of Lakiesha Hawkins, Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator, Moon to Mars Program Office.

Lakiesha Hawkins

Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development

Portrait of Brian Dewhurst, ESDMD Acting Associate Administrator for Management

Brian Dewhurst

Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Management

Official NASA portrait of John McCullough, Deputy Associate Administrator for Integration in the Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate.

John A. McCullough

Deputy Associate Administrator for Integration

Moon to Mars Program Office

Dr. Lori Glaze is the Acting Associate Administrator for NASA’s Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD).

Lori Glaze

Acting Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development

Official NASA portrait of Lakiesha Hawkins, Assistant Deputy Associate Administrator, Moon to Mars Program Office.

Lakiesha Hawkins

Acting Deputy Associate Administrator for Exploration Systems Development

Strategy and Architecture Office

Nujoud Merancy

Nujoud Merancy

Deputy Associate Administrator, Strategy and Architecture Office

ESDMD Programs

Explore the programs developing the hardware and systems to send humans to the Moon and Mars

Latest News

Stay up-to-date with the latest on humanity's return to the Moon under Artemis and our future plans to explore Mars.

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