Lori Glaze
NASA official overseeing Artemis crewed lunar exploration development.
Last refreshed: 3 April 2026 · Appears in 1 active topic
What role does Glaze play in keeping Artemis on schedule?
Latest on Lori Glaze
- Who is Lori Glaze at NASA?
- Acting Associate Administrator for NASA Exploration Systems Development, overseeing Artemis programme hardware including Orion and the Human Landing System.Source: NASA
- What is Lori Glaze's background?
- Planetary volcanologist with a Physics degree from UT Arlington; former director of NASA's Planetary Science Division before moving into human exploration.Source: NASA
- What does the ESDMD do?
- NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate manages development of SLS, Orion, and the Human Landing System for crewed lunar return under Artemis.Source: NASA
- Is Lori Glaze involved in Artemis II?
- Yes, as Acting Associate Administrator of ESDMD she oversees all Artemis hardware development and mission execution, including Artemis II.Source: NASA
Background
Dr Lori Glaze is a planetary volcanologist who rose to become one of NASA's most senior figures in human exploration. After leading the agency's Planetary Science Division for several years, she was appointed Deputy Associate Administrator for NASA's Exploration Systems Development Mission Directorate (ESDMD) in November 2024, and Acting Associate Administrator from February 2025. In that role she oversees the Artemis programme's development portfolio, including Orion, the Space Launch System, and the Human Landing System.
Glaze earned her BA and MS in Physics from the University of Texas at Arlington and spent decades researching volcanic plumes on Venus and Io before moving into NASA leadership. Her scientific background gives her an unusually technical grounding for an administrator, and she has been a consistent advocate for sustained investment in both robotic and crewed exploration.
Her current role puts her at the centre of decisions about cost, schedule, and safety for Artemis III through V. As independent audits flag delays to the Starship Human Landing System and growing concerns about crew safety on deep-space missions, Glaze has become the programme's operational face in Washington and at Johnson Space Center.
