Charles F. Bolden

Charles Frank Bolden Jr. is a former NASA administrator, a retired United States Marine Corps Major General, and a former astronaut who flew on four Space Shuttle missions.

A 1968 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, he 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 NASA administrator 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.