Charles Bolden

Charles Bolden
Charles Bolden
	Bolden in 2009
12th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
	In office; July 17, 2009 – January 20, 2017
President	Barack Obama
Deputy	Lori Garver; Dava Newman;
Preceded by	Michael D. Griffin
Succeeded by	Jim Bridenstine
Personal details
Born	Charles Frank Bolden Jr.; August 19, 1946; Columbia, South Carolina, U.S.
Spouse	Alexis Walker
Children	2
Relatives	Ethel Martin Bolden (mother)
Education	United States Naval Academy (BS); University of Southern California (MS);
Civilian awards	National Space Trophy; Nierenberg Prize; Carl Sagan Award for Public Appreciation of Science;
Military service
Allegiance	United States
Branch/service	United States Marine Corps
Years of service	1968–2004
Rank	Major General
Commands	I Marine Expeditionary Force; 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing;
Battles/wars	Vietnam War (1972–73); Desert Thunder (1998);
Military awards	Distinguished Service Medal; Superior Service Medal; Legion of Merit (2);
Awards	NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal; NASA Exceptional Service Medal; NASA Space Flight Medal;
	Space career
NASA astronaut
Time in space	28d 8h 37m
Selection	NASA Group 9 (1980)
Missions	STS-61-C (1986); STS-31 (1990); STS-45 (1992); STS-60 (1994);
Mission insignia

Charles Frank Bolden Jr. (born August 19, 1946) is a former Administrator of NASA, a retired United States Marine Corps Major General, and a former astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle missions.

He graduated from the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1968. Bolden became a Marine aviator and test pilot. After his service as an astronaut, he became Deputy Commandant of Midshipmen at the Naval Academy.

On May 23, 2009, President Barack Obama announced the nomination of Bolden as Administrator of NASA and Lori Garver as deputy NASA administrator. Both were confirmed by the Senate by unanimous consent on July 15, 2009. Bolden was the first African American to head the agency on a permanent basis.

On January 12, 2017, Bolden announced his retirement from NASA during a town hall meeting at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. His last day would be January 19, and Robert M. Lightfoot Jr. was announced as acting NASA Administrator.

In 2020, Bolden was elected a member of the National Academy of Engineering for leadership and development of U.S. human spaceflight and space operations programs, and for revitalizing fundamental aeronautics research.

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