NASA Names New Armstrong Director

NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Troy Asher director of the Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Asher, a veteran test pilot and aerospace engineer, has served as the center’s acting director since March and will oversee its workforce, operations and flight research programs.

As director, Asher will lead NASA’s efforts to advance aircraft operations, aviation technologies and experimental flight programs. Armstrong serves as NASA’s Flight Test and Aircraft Operations Center of Excellence and is central to the agency’s plans to rebuild and expand its X-plane portfolio, including work on high-speed flight and experimental aircraft. The center also supports airborne science missions across NASA.

Asher joined NASA in 2008 as a research test pilot and aerospace engineer. He has flown research missions aboard aircraft including the F-15, F/A-18, Gulfstream III, DC-8 and X-56A unmanned aircraft system. Before becoming acting director, he led Armstrong’s Flight Operations Directorate, overseeing pilots, engineers, maintainers and specialized aircraft.

Before joining NASA, Asher completed a 24-year U.S. Air Force career and retired as a lieutenant colonel. His assignments included instructor at the Air Force Test Pilot School, commander of the 419th Flight Test Squadron and director of the Bomber Combined Test Force. In 2003, he set 25 world speed records in a B-1B bomber.

Asher succeeds Bradley Flick, who retired in March after nearly four decades with NASA. Armstrong, established in 1946, has played a role in major flight research efforts ranging from the Bell X-1’s supersonic flights to NASA’s current X-59 quiet-supersonic aircraft program.