Bolden Tapped To Head NASA

President Obama has nominated retired Marine Corps Gen. Charles Bolden to serve as the next administrator of NASA. Bolden, who concluded his 34-year military career as commanding general of the Miramar, Calif.-based 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing in 2003, was selected to join the astronaut corps in 1980. He went on to fly four times on the space shuttle – twice as a pilot, twice as a mission commander. After the Shuttle Challenger exploded in 1986, Bolden became chief of safety at Johnson Space Center. He also served as assistant deputy NASA administrator in 1992. He holds an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from the U.S. Naval Academy, and a master’s degree in systems management from the University of Southern California. He succeeds Mike Griffin, who resigned as NASA administrator in January.