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Goddard Engineering and Technology Directorate

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  • Divisions
    • Mechanical Systems Division (MSD)
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    • Instrument Systems & Technology Division (ISTD)
      • ISTD Branches
    • Electrical Engineering Division (EED)
      • EED Branches
    • Software Engineering Division (SED)
      • SED Branches
    • Mission Engineering & System Analysis (MESA)
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Engineering and
Technology Directorate

The Engine That Powers Goddard

Goddard encompasses major laboratories and facilities for developing and operating unmanned scientific spacecraft. The Engineering and Technology Directorate (ETD) is the largest organization at Goddard Space Flight Center. Goddard has six distinctive facilities & installations. ETD has employees at the Greenbelt main campus in Maryland, Wallops Flight Facility in Virginia and White Sands Test Facility Ground Stations in New Mexico.

Engineering and Technology Directorate

The ETD designs and executes innovative missions, builds advanced satellites and cutting-edge instruments, operates and controls spacecraft, and distributes critical data to the world-wide science community, supporting groundbreaking research and global collaboration within five core divisions.

Mechanical Systems Division

The MSD specializes in delivering high-performance mechanical systems-centric hardware, and innovative technologies that are designed to meet the complex needs of various industries. MSD offers tailored solutions that enhance operational efficiency of advanced systems across multiple sectors.

Instrument Systems
and Technology Division

The ISTD offers specialized engineering expertise to develop cutting-edge Earth and space science instrument hardware and technologies, fostering scientific discovery and innovation through close collaboration with global science, research, and exploration communities.

Electrical Engineering Division

The Electrical Engineering Division (EED) provides electrical engineering expertise in the development of electrical and electronic systems for suborbital and space-based projects. EED is a world leader supporting space missions in aerospace electrical engineering innovation to pioneer new scientific discoveries.

Software Engineering Division

The Software Engineering Division (SED) provides expertise in software systems engineering, secure environments, and the entire software product development lifecycle, from design through implementation and testing, to ensure the delivery of reliable products that meet complex requirements and exceed performance standards.

Mission Engineering
and System Analysis Division

MESA’s revolutionizes Earth and space science exploration missions by advancing payload, and instrument systems engineering, as well as mission design, navigation, propulsion, and attitude control system technologies, enabling more efficient, cost-effective, complex scientific solutions.

An End-To-End Science Mission Operation

The Engineering and Technology Directorate designs missions, builds satellites and instruments, operate and control spacecraft and acquire and distribute data to the world-wide science community.

The ETD recruits and hires the best and the brightest from across the nation to bring together the largest collection of scientists, engineers and technologists under one roof. With their help, NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center can implement and create cutting-edge technology that aims to advance and expand the understanding of the observable universe and further explore the Moon and Mars. The expertise that the directorate has includes:

  • Advanced technology for tracking and gathering scientific data.
  • Hands-on operational knowledge of how to successfully implement space science missions.
  • A fundamental and strategic system engineering approach to tackle new challenges and advance the needs of research.

The ETD’s staff is supported by unique world-class facilities, and the ability to apply emerging technologies to develop high-performance, cost-effective solutions to the most challenging problems in science and exploration.

Engineers hoisted NASA's Webb telescope's Near Infrared Spectrograph or NIRSpec from its shipping container to a dolly in the clean room.
Engineers hoisted NASA’s Webb telescope’s Near Infrared Spectrograph or NIRSpec from its shipping container to a dolly in the clean room at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt, Md. Credit: NASA/Chris Gunn

ETD Leadership Team

  • Leadership
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Segrid Harris
Director
Space holder for staff photo
Vacant
Deputy Director
Space holder for staff photo
Maria Nowak
Deputy Director for Technical Management
Matt Ritsko, Deputy for Planning and Business Management
Matt Ritsko
Deputy Director for Planning and Business Management

ABOUT ETD

The Engineering & Technology Directorate at Goddard designs missions, builds satellites and instruments, operates and controls spacecrafts, and acquires/distributes data to the world-wide science community. ETD data products are used to conduct research in Earth and Space Sciences that benefit both the nation and the world.

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Page Last Updated: May 20, 2025

Page Editor: ETD Web Team

Responsible NASA Official: Hector Dietsch

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