Charles F. Bolden Jr., a retired Marine Corps general who has been to space four times, including once as commander of a 1986 shuttle mission, has been named by President Barack Obama as his choice to lead the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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Major General Charles F. Bolden, Jr. Credit & Copyright: NASA.
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According to an article in The New York Times, Bolden was Obama’s advisor on space policy during his transition into the presidency. He also has ties to the aerospace industry, the article reported, noting Bolden’s work “as a lobbyist for ATK, which manufactures the solid rocket boosters for the space shuttle” and having served “on the board of Gencorp Inc., whose Aerojet subsidiary has a contract to build engines for the planned astronaut capsule.” And according to The Washington Post, he “is currently the chief executive officer of JackandPanther, a Houston-based military and aerospace consulting firm.”
Times have been tough for the space agency. With the astronomical costs of space flight, the agency has struggled to justify its mission even before the recent financial crisis. However, as reported at the Huffington Post, Bolden is seen as “calming” and “well liked” at the agency, with one friend quoted as saying he will bring “balance” to the agency and help foster cooperative efforts with other nations.
It won’t hurt that he’s spent time in leadership positions at NASA; Bolden has been an assistant deputy administrator there. If confirmed, Bolden would become the agency’s first African American administrator. He would also be only the second astronaut to head up NASA since it was established 50 years ago.
Obama also named Lori Glover, who was formerly associate administrator at NASA, to be deputy administrator, second in command to Bolden.