Grier Wilt, a recent graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School, will soon return to her work at NASA as a capsule communicator, spacewalk flight controller, and astronaut instructor, following the completion of her master’s in public administration. Wilt’s story was highlighted on May 21 in a feature that examined her diverse experiences and responsibilities both at Harvard and within NASA.
Wilt has worked across four continents and is fluent in several languages. She holds certifications as a private pilot and open-sea diver, with academic experience in fields such as mechanical engineering, national security, business, and ethnomusicology. After receiving her latest diploma from Harvard Kennedy School this spring, she will resume her duties at NASA where she plays an essential role preparing astronauts for space missions.
Her instructors described Wilt as insightful yet humble. Kessely Hong said she remembers Wilt as “incredible … insightful and generous” while Eric Rosenbach called her “an amazing human with an amazing background,” adding that she possesses “humility…that’s unusual at Harvard.”
Wilt explained that leadership skills are vital to NASA’s work: “We’re working in teams, we’re working internationally. There’s a lot of decision-making, a lot of leadership involved.” She also emphasized the importance of negotiation during mission planning: “All of the various teams at NASA — among them human health, engineering, safety, and operations — have to give up something they had hoped to include to ensure the overall safety or functionality of the final vessel.” Her time at Harvard helped strengthen these abilities by teaching consensus-building techniques.
As an EVA flight controller and instructor for over ten years, Wilt guides astronauts through underwater rehearsals and virtual reality simulations. Preparation for each Extra-Vehicular Activity can take up to two years. She became a capsule communicator (CAPCOM) in 2022—a role responsible for relaying information between crews in space and mission control.
Looking ahead after graduation, Wilt plans to oversee projects including U.S.-Japan collaboration on lunar exploration vehicles for upcoming Artemis missions. Despite not attending the recent Artemis II launch due to class commitments at Harvard Kennedy School—she instead hosted a watch party with classmates—Wilt remains committed to supporting future crewed moon landings.
Eric Rosenbach concluded about his student: “I know she’d like to be up there on a spacewalk herself…and she could certainly do that,” but he believes “she’ll end up running the place.”
