Vanessa E. Wyche

Vanessa Wyche is the director of NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston, home to America’s astronaut corps, Mission Control Center, International Space Station, Orion, and Gateway Programs. Her responsibilities included a broad range of human spaceflight activities, including development and operation of human spacecraft and NASA astronaut selection and training.

Wyche also oversees NASA Johnson’s activities supporting the commercialization of low Earth orbit, supporting the agency’s needs following the transition from the International Space Station in 2030, and led the center’s programs supporting the exploration of the Moon and Mars, including surface system capabilities for human and commercial robotic missions, as well as simulated missions for crews on Mars.

During her 35-year career, Wyche has held several other leadership roles including Johnson’s deputy center director, director of Exploration Integration and Science Directorate, flight manager of several Space Shuttle Program missions, and executive officer in the Office of the Administrator, as well as additional center-level technical and program organizations. Most recently, she served for several months in 2025 as acting associate administrator at NASA Headquarters in Washington.

A native of South Carolina, Wyche earned a bachelor of science in engineering and master of science in bioengineering from Clemson University and was inducted into the Thomas Green Clemson Academy of Engineers and Scientists in 2019. She received an honorary doctor of science degree from Coastal Carolina University in 2022, as well as an honorary doctor of humane letters degree from Texas Southern University in 2024.

Wyche is a member of the National Academy of Engineering. She has numerous awards and recognitions, notably the Presidential Rank Award, two NASA Outstanding Leadership Medals, two NASA Achievement Medals, and she is an AIAA Associate Fellow.

Wyche is a passionate promoter of science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM), and serves as a member of American Institute of Physics Foundation board of trustees, Clemson University’s College of Engineering, Computing, and Applied Sciences advisory board, and is a past chair of the Space Center Houston board of directors.