NASA administrators work to get astronauts and space programs off the ground. Here’s how

They play a vital role in deciding what NASA does and how it does it, and they also help build political support for space exploration.

Leaders of NASA sit in an awkward position. While they are the head of a widely recognized organization, they’re often not the most famous individual in the agency. More people probably know the names of Butch Wilmore and Suni Williams, the astronauts currently “stranded” on the International Space Station, than Bill Nelson, the current NASA administrator.