Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

Selected as a Space Shuttle astronaut in 1980, Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden, Jr., (USMC-Ret.) also served as the 12th NASA Administrator from July 2009 through January 2017.

Quick Facts

Commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Marine Corps after college, Bolden completed flight training and became a Naval Aviator, flying more than 100 combat missions in North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia between 1972 –1973.

Selected as an astronaut in 1980, Charlie Bolden traveled to orbit four times aboard the space shuttle between 1986 and 1994, commanding two of the missions and piloting two others.

As the 12th Administrator to serve NASA, Bolden oversaw the safe transition from 30 years of space shuttle missions to a new era of exploration.

Official portrait of Astronaut Charles F. Bolden Jr. — Portrait of Astronaut Charles F. Bolden, Jr., who also served as NASA Administrator, July 2009 – January 2017
NASA

NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden greets a young boy in an astronaut suit during a stargazing event on Thursday, Nov. 7, 2013 — NASA Administrator Charles F. Bolden greets a young astronaut-in-training during a stargazing event at Hoffman-Boston Elementary School in Arlington, Va. (Nov. 7, 2013)
NASA/Jay Westcott

Commander Charles Bolden, in his orange launch and entry suit (LES), sits at his station on the Discovery's forward flight deck. — Commander Charles Bolden, in his orange launch and entry suit (LES) during the STS-60 mission in 1994, sits at his station on the Discovery’s forward flight deck.
NASA

Charles Bolden testifies at his confirmaton hearing before the Senate Cmmerce, Science and Transportation Committee — Charles Bolden, nominee for Administrator of NASA, testifies at his confirmation hearing before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee in the Russell Senate Office Building on Capitol Hill in Washington, Wednesday, July 8, 2009.
NASA/Bill Ingalls

Biography

Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

Maj. Gen. Charles Frank Bolden, Jr., (USMC-Ret.) was nominated by President Barack Obama and confirmed by the U.S. Senate as the 12th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration. He began his duties as head of the agency on July 17, 2009 and served until January 2017. As Administrator, Bolden led a nationwide NASA team to advance the missions and goals of the U.S. space program.

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NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden at the National Air and Space Museum (NASM) event sponsored by Goddard Space Flight Center and the Maryland Space Business Roundtable (MSBR).