NASA Administrator Jared Isaacman has named Troy Asher director of the agency's Armstrong Flight Research Center in Edwards, California. Asher, a test pilot and aerospace engineer with decades of experience in flight research and operations, had served as the center's acting director since March.

The Armstrong Flight Research Center is NASA's hub for aeronautical research and flight testing of experimental aircraft, from X-planes to platforms for advanced aviation technologies. It is based at Edwards Air Force Base in the Mojave Desert, historically linked to US high-speed flight programs.

The appointment formalizes the leadership Asher had already been exercising on an interim basis for several months. According to the agency, his career spans both flight research and operations, a profile aligned with the center's role in developing and validating new aeronautical capabilities.

The appointment comes as NASA runs several aeronautical research programs focused on efficiency, noise reduction and new aircraft configurations. The Armstrong Flight Research Center routinely serves as a testbed for prototypes before their transfer to industry.