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Anastasia Ford is a multidisciplinary, award‑winning test engineer and space scientist whose career spans advanced materials research, rocket engineering, planetary science, lead flight directing for stratospheric balloon systems, in‑situ resource utilization (ISRU) systems testing, spacecraft systems testing, hazardous testing, high‑powered laser operations, and lunar surface operations. Based in Houston, Texas, Anastasia serves as a surface science and technology specialist in the Exploration Science Office of the Astromaterials Research and Exploration Sciences (ARES) Division at Johnson Space Center (JSC).
Previous roles at NASA have included Technology and Architecture Lead and Test Director for the Propulsion and Power Division within the Engineering Directorate at JSC. Anastasia is the current civil servant manager for the Simulant Development Lab (SDL) and the Advanced Concepts for Exploration (ACE) Lab within ARES. Prior to her roles at NASA, Anastasia worked in the space industry beginning at age 16, starting at Orbital Sciences Corp. (now Northrop Grumman Innovation Systems) designing and testing parts as well as running separation simulations for Orion’s Launch Abort System rocket. She later moved to SpaceX, working in mission assurance for the Dragon capsule and structures and integration for the Falcon 9 rocket. Her additional experience includes interplanetary satellite development at Malin Space Science Systems, testing augmented‑reality tracking systems at Inertial Labs, and leading mission operations for stratospheric surveillance balloons at World View.
A passion of Anastasia’s is the development of power‑beaming systems to support the delivery of power to critical elements of future extraterrestrial human habitats. Her work supports NASA’s exploration initiatives, including Artemis‑related research involving lunar regolith simulants and scientific contributions to planetary surface mobility operations.
Anastasia is recognized for engaging cross‑disciplinary teams and advancing both scientific understanding and mission‑ready engineering systems. Her career reflects a commitment to technical excellence, interdisciplinary research, and the advancement of humanity’s settlement of space.