Oral history interview with Charles F. Bolden Jr., 2020
Abstract
Charles Bolden reflects on his tenure as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) administrator during the Obama administration. Bolden discusses NASA's changing priorities and activities during the Obama presidency, including the commercialization of low-earth orbit spaceflight and the shift in focus from deep space exploration to climate and earth science. Bolden focuses on NASA's rel ationships with Congress and the White House under his leadership, and shares details about congressional interventions in NASA operations and the White House's management of agency budget negotiations. Bolden also describes the White House's efforts to increase NASA collaborations with nontraditional partners including China and countries in the Middle East, and recounts select conflicts with the White House
Presidents--United States; Space flight; Climatology--United States; Space industrialization--United States; Budget process--Law and legislation--United States; Bolden, Charles, 1946-; Obama, Barack; United States Naval Academy; Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center; United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Format
oral histories
Genre
Interviews
Date
2020
Physical Description
61 pages
Note (Biographical)
Charles F. Bolden Jr. was the administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) from 2009 to 2017. Prior to his service under the Obama administration, Bolden graduated from the United States Naval Academy and went on to serve in the United States Marine Corps, including in Vietnam. As an astronaut with NASA, he flew four space shuttle missions, two as pilot and two as commander, became chief of the Safety Division at the Johnson Space Center, and was later appointed assistant deputy administrator of NASA in 1992. At the time of the interview, he serves as the founder and CEO Emeritus of The Charles F. Bolden Group LLC, a veteran-owned small business specializing in space/aerospace exploration, national security, leadership, education and health initiatives
Note
Interviewed by Tess A. McClure on September 28, 2020. This interview is part of the Columbia University: Obama Presidency Oral History
Note (Provenance)
Charles F. Bolden Jr., Gift, transferred from Columbia Center for Oral History Research 2022