NASA makes historic choice to lead space administration
by Rich Bowden - May 24 2009, 01:50
Img: Gen. Charles Bolden. Credit: US Marine Corps
Former astronaut and ex Marine Corps commander Gen. Charles Bolden Jr. has been nominated by the Obama administration as its candidate to lead U.S. space administration NASA.
Bolden (62), who has experience as the commander of two shuttle missions and has served on four, will be the first African American to serve as the head of NASA, should the U.S. Senate approve his nomination.
"He's a patriot, a leader and a visionary," Sen. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.) was reported as saying by the Washington Post. "He understands the workings of NASA and the importance of America remaining a leader in science and technology through space exploration."
However, the head of the Commerce subcommittee that oversees NASA operations was straightforward over the challenges Bolden will face.
"He's going to face budgetary constraints, technical issues, remaining shuttle launches and the impending end of the space shuttle," said Nelson. "He has to restore that wonder that space exploration provides, and he needs to carry out the president's mission."
Nelson has some inkling of Bolden's leadership qualities having served on the space shuttle Columbia with hum in 1986 -- the first of Bolden's four shuttle missions.
However, some commentators have questioned the choice of Bolden, saying he was unsuitable to manage the space administration's changing focus and budgetary constraints. Critics have also pointed out that Bolden may be too closely linked to previous NASA programs to carry out the necessary changes.
The Obama administration has said NASA will begin winding down its shuttle program under the new head to concentrate more on the setting up of a base on the moon by 2020.
Bolden spoke earlier this week with President Obama regarding his "vision for NASA's future," saying he has the president's confidence.
Prior to the press conference, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs told reporters that the president "hopes that [Gen. Bolden] is the right person to lead NASA in the coming years and through its evolving role," reported the Wall Street Journal.
Gen. Bolden served as NASA's assistant deputy administrator during the 1990s and currently acts as chief executive of the Houston-based aerospace consulting company JackandPanther.
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