Society’s Vice President for Space Development Nominated as NASA Chief Financial Officer

The National Space Society welcomes the nomination of Dr. Greg Autry as the Chief Financial Officer of NASA. Autry is the latest of a series NSS leaders that have risen to prominent positions within NASA, the U.S. government, and the space Industry. In addition to being the current NSS Vice President for Space Development, Dr. Autry has served on the NSS Board of Directors.

“Since its founding, the National Space Society has worked to identify, support, and promote talented leaders in space policy, serving as a vital resource and talent pool for many administrations,” said Isaac Arthur, NSS President. “Dr. Autry is an outstanding choice for NASA CFO and is widely respected across the space community. His deep experience in both the private sector and in government will help ensure that NASA maximizes every taxpayer dollar in pursuit of its critical mission to explore and develop space for the benefit of all.”

Autry has been a successful entrepreneur in product and game design and has authored two well-received books, including the recently published Red Moon Rising. He has been a professor at the University of Southern California and Arizona State University’s Thunderbird School of Global Management, and most recently the Associate Provost for Space Commercialization and Strategy at the University of Central Florida. He is also a visiting professor at the Imperial College London.

Autry holds an MBA and PhD in Management/Economics and Public Policy from the University of California, Irvine. He joined the NSS nearly a decade ago and was quickly appointed the Vice President of Space Development due to his strong entrepreneurial and policy background. He has served on NASA transition teams twice, both under President Trump.

“The NASA CFO is responsible for executing more than $25 billion in agency funding across a variety of missions, including the Moon and Mars, for the benefit of humanity,” said Janet Petro, the acting NASA Administrator. “With his previous experience as the White House liaison during President Trump’s first administration, as well as his extensive experience in space policy, I look forward to welcoming Greg as our next CFO. If confirmed, we will work together with the current Trump Administration to ensure NASA’s success in maximizing efficiencies, refining our processes, and remaining effective stewards of every tax dollar invested in our agency.”

Autry follows a long list of former National Space Society leaders who have risen to prominence in government and the space industry. These include Lori Garver, a former NSS Executive Director who became the NASA Deputy Administrator under Charlie Bolden; George Whitesides, also an NSS Executive Director, who was the CEO of Virgin Galactic, the Chief of Staff at NASA, and who now serves in the U.S. Congress; and Scott Pace, a Professor of the Practice of International Affairs at Georgetown University and previous Executive Secretary of the National Space Council who was formerly an Executive Vice President of the NSS and served as an NSS Governor for many years. Notably, these leaders served both major political parties.