Mrs. Sandra Alba Cauffman

Mrs. Cauffman currently serves as the Deputy Director of the Astrophysics Division in the Science Mission Directorate (SMD) at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Headquarters. She provides executive leadership, strategic direction, and management for the entire agency’s multi-billion Astrophysics programs and missions necessary to discover how the universe works, to explore how the universe began and developed into its present form, and to search for Earth-like planets. She also serves as the ASMP Program Director, overseeing the implementation of the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope, which will be able to block starlight to directly observe exoplanets and planet-forming disks, complete a statistical census of planetary systems in our galaxy, and settle essential questions in the areas of dark energy, exoplanets, and infrared astrophysics. Currently, she also serves as the Standing Review Board Chair (SRB) for the Space Weather Next (SWNext) Program, a NOAA Program to provide Space weather observations continuity and product improvement; and serves as the SRB Chair for the INvestigation of Convective UpdraftS (INCUS) mission, that will provide the first tropics-wide investigation of the evolution of the vertical transport of air and water by convective storms (convective mass flux), one of the most influential, yet unmeasured atmospheric processes.

Until January 2024, she was the SMD Point of Contact for all aspects of Space Communications, working closely with the Space Operations Mission Directorate (SOMD) and Space Communications and Navigation (SCaN) to help SMD navigate Deep Space Network (DSN) conflicts with Artemis, and strategically determine the future of space communications for SMD’s current and future missions in view if the imminent Tracking and Data Relay Satellite System (TDRSS) demise and replacement with the Commercial Space Communication Relay Services in the 2030 timeframe.

She served as the Deputy Director of the Earth Science Division (ESD) from May 2016 to October 2021 and during that period she had the privilege to serve as the Acting Director of ESD for 17 months. While in ESD, conceived and spearheaded the implementation of the Satellite Needs Working Group (SNWG), where NASA coordinates with other U.S. Government satellite data providers, including USGS and NOAA, to identify, communicate, and address the Earth observation needs of federal agencies; and conceived and spearheaded the implementation of the Commercial Smallsat Data Acquisition (CSDA) initiative established to identify, evaluate, and acquire commercial small-satellite (smallsat) data that support NASA’s Earth science research and application goals.

Prior to joining NASA HQ, Mrs. Cauffman worked at the Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) from February 1991 – May 2016 a civil servant (CS) and from February 1988 – February 1991 as a contractor.  When Mrs. Cauffman joined NASA in 1991 she started as the Ground Systems Manager for the Satellite Servicing Project, where she supported missions such as Hubble Space Telescope (HST) First Servicing Mission, Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), and Explorers Platform (EP)/Extreme Ultraviolet Explorer (EUVE). 

Since then she served in a number of roles: GOES I/M and N/P Instrument Manager, Project Formulation Office (PFO) Office Chief, Instrument Systems Manager for GOES-R, Deputy Project Manager for GOES-R, Assistant Director for the Flight Projects Directorate (code 400), Project Manager (PM) for the Gravity and Extreme Magnetism Small Explorer (SMEX) (GEMS), Deputy Project Manager for the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) Mission, and Deputy Systems Program Director for the Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES)-R Series before moving to HQ.

Mrs. Cauffman has been awarded the NASA Exceptional Achievement Medal and she is a three-time recipient of the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal. She is also a four-times recipient of the NASA Acquisition Improvement Award, and numerous GSFC and HQ awards.  She is a Senior Fellow on the Council for Excellence in Government. She is an Honorary Member of the National Academy of Sciences, Costa Rica. She is also an Honorary Member of the Colegio Federado de Ingenieros y de Arquitectos in Costa Rica. Her profile has been highlighted by the United Nations Entity for being a positive example for youth and children.  Due to her extensive work in STEM in Costa Rica and Latin America the Government of Costa Rica issued a stamp in her honor in 2017.  She received a B.S. in Physics, a B.S in Electrical Engineering and a M.S. in Electrical Engineering, all from George Mason University. GMU honored Ms. Cauffman achievements at their 50th Anniversary in 2018 as one of the 50 “exemplars”, alumni who exemplify the impact of a Mason degree around the world. In 2023, the University of Costa Rica conferred the title of Doctorate Honoris Causa for her contributions to research and development in science and technology, as well as the impulse she has given to young Costa Ricans to venture into these areas of knowledge.