Former Astronaut Charles F. Bolden to Return to NASA

Former astronaut and Marine Corps Major General Charles F. Bolden will
return to NASA as Deputy Administrator, pending legislative approval of
his nomination.

NASA Administrator Sean O’Keefe yesterday announced the President’s
intention to nominate Bolden as Deputy Administrator. Bolden, a veteran
of four Space Shuttle flights, was selected as an astronaut in 1980, and
enjoyed a 14-year career with NASA before returning to the Marine Corps
in 1994.

“We are looking forward to working with Charlie Bolden once again,” said
Johnson Space Center Deputy Director Randy Stone. “Many JSC employees
had the pleasure of working with Charlie both during his career as an
astronaut, and as Assistant Deputy Administrator for the agency. His
leadership skills and experience in human spaceflight operations are a
valuable asset and we look forward to welcoming him back to NASA soon.”

Bolden flew as pilot on STS-61C in 1986 and STS-31 in 1990. He commanded
two Space Shuttle flights, STS-45 in 1992, and STS-60 in 1994. Over the
course of his four spaceflights, he logged more 680 hours in orbit,
assisted in deploying the Hubble Space Telescope, and commanded the
first mission that included a Russian cosmonaut.

For additional information on Major General Bolden’s NASA career, or any
NASA astronaut, visit the Astronaut Biography website at
http://www.jsc.nasa.gov/Bios/