NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe and the White House have announced the nomination of former astronaut and assistant deputy administrator, Major General Charles F. Bolden, U.S. Marine Corps, as NASA's next deputy administrator.
"I am grateful for the president's overwhelming confidence in General Bolden. I could not ask for a more qualified partner to help lead this great agency," said Administrator O'Keefe. "His management and leadership skills in the fields of aeronautics and space technology will play a vital role in charting a new course for America's space program."
Bolden, 55, currently serves as the commanding general, 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing. As deputy administrator, Bolden will serve as the chief operating officer for the agency and report directly to the administrator. He will be responsible for directing and managing many of the programs and day-to-day operations and activities at NASA.
"We welcome General Bolden back to the NASA family and look forward to working closely with him on future projects," said Dr. Charles Elachi, director of NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif. "He brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the position."
Bolden is a veteran of four space shuttle flights, including two as commander, and has logged more than 680 hours in orbit. In 1992, he was appointed assistant deputy administrator at NASA Headquarters in Washington, a position he held until 1994.
JPL is managed for NASA by the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.