Maj. Gen. Charles F. Bolden Jr., USMC (Ret.), is a distinguished former NASA Administrator, astronaut, and Marine Corps aviator whose career has spanned aerospace, defense, and public service at the highest levels. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and the University of Southern California, where he earned a Master of Science in Systems Management, Bolden served 34 years in the United States Marine Corps, flying over 100 combat missions during the Vietnam War and logging more than 6,000 hours in military aircraft.

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Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1980, Bolden flew four space shuttle missions between 1986 and 1994, including two as mission commander. His missions supported satellite deployment, scientific experimentation, and collaboration with international partners aboard Spacelab. Notably, he commanded the first joint U.S.–Japan shuttle mission and was pilot for STS-31, which deployed the Hubble Space Telescope—one of NASA’s most significant scientific instruments.

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In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Bolden as the 12th Administrator of NASA, a position he held until 2017. As Administrator, he oversaw a transformative era that included the final Space Shuttle flights, the rise of commercial space partnerships through the Commercial Crew Program, and the early development of the Artemis program, designed to return humans to the Moon. Under his leadership, NASA also expanded its focus on Earth science and robotic exploration of Mars.

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Bolden’s career exemplifies a lifelong commitment to exploration, service, and inspiring the next generation of scientists and engineers. Through both his military and civilian achievements, he has advanced global collaboration in space and reaffirmed the critical role of education and innovation in national progress.