Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro Retires, Kelvin Manning Now Acting Center Director
By Space Coast Daily // May 2, 2026
Petro served in numerous roles at Kennedy and NASA Headquarters in Washington
NASA – Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro has announced her retirement, and Kelvin Manning has stepped into the role of acting center director, bringing more than 32 years of leadership and technical expertise.
Manning has previously served as deputy center director.
Prior to joining NASA, Petro held a variety of military and industry positions, ultimately beginning her career at the agency in 2007 and working her way up to center director, and serving as acting administrator from January to July 2025.
“From the outset of her distinguished tenure at NASA, Janet has served as a profoundly influential leader, guiding both the agency and our Kennedy Space Center through some of the most significant transitions in our shared history, including playing a central role in reshaping NASA Kennedy into the nation’s premier multiuser spaceport,” said NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman.
“As NASA has been charged, once again, with accomplishing the near impossible, I’m grateful to Janet for always embracing the challenge of discovering what could be and for pushing the boundaries to deliver the missions that enable NASA to lead the way into a new era of space.”
As NASA Kennedy’s 11th director, Petro manages a team of civil service and contractor employees, determines and implements center policy, and manages and executes the spaceport’s missions and agency program responsibilities.
Previously, Petro served as acting director and deputy director at NASA Kennedy.
During her time as deputy director, she helped the center transition to a multi-user spaceport, leading cross-agency initiatives with the FAA and the U.S. Air Force to streamline government processes and support commercial space operations, thereby increasing government efficiency and reducing redundancy.
Petro has also served in numerous roles at Kennedy and NASA Headquarters in Washington, including as the program executive on an agency-wide initiative to restructure mission support functions, helping NASA become more efficient and effective in its work.
Outside the agency, Petro has served in various management positions at Science Applications International Corporation and McDonnell Douglas Aerospace Corporation, interfacing with NASA, the U.S. military, and commercial entities on numerous aerospace and military programs.
Petro began her professional career as a commissioned officer in the U.S. Army after graduating in 1981 from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, New York, with a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering.
She was in the second class of West Point graduates to include women. Petro also holds a Master of Science degree in business administration from Boston University’s Metropolitan College.
Petro is the recipient of numerous service and performance awards, including a President’s Distinguished Executive Award, and has received the astronaut-selected Silver Snoopy Award for outstanding performance that contributes to flight safety and mission success.
