Charles Bolden Bio
Charles Frank Bolden Jr. (born 19 August 1946) is an American former astronaut, retired United States Marine Corps major general, and the former Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). A graduate of the United States Naval Academy and the University of Southern California, he flew on four Space Shuttle missions and logged over 680 hours in space. Nominated by President Barack Obama in 2009, he led NASA until January 2017, becoming the first African American to serve as the agency’s permanent administrator.
After his NASA tenure, Bolden has remained active in international space policy, advisory boards, and public engagement. His career has combined military aviation, spaceflight, and senior federal leadership across more than four decades of public service in the United States.
Early Life and Background
Charles Frank Bolden Jr. was born on 19 August 1946 in Columbia, South Carolina, United States. He is the son of Ethel Martin Bolden, his mother, and grew up in the same South Carolina capital during the era of legal segregation. He attended C. A. Johnson High School in Columbia, where he completed his secondary education in 1964.
As a high school senior, Bolden applied for an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and was turned down by South Carolina’s congressional delegation, which included then-segregationist Senator Strom Thurmond. He personally wrote to President Lyndon B. Johnson, which led to a Marine Corps recruiter visiting his home. Bolden ultimately received his appointment from U.S. Representative William L. Dawson of Chicago, Illinois, and Thurmond later sent him notes of congratulations at various career milestones.
Path to U.S. Politics and Public Service
Bolden’s path to senior federal leadership began at the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical science in 1968 and served as president of his class. He was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps and completed flight training in Pensacola, Florida, Meridian, Mississippi, and Kingsville, Texas, earning his naval aviator wings in May 1970.
His transition toward national policy work came through a steady rise in operational, test, and command assignments. After serving as a Marine aviator in Southeast Asia, attending the United States Naval Test Pilot School, and later flying on four Space Shuttle missions, he returned to senior Marine Corps leadership roles. In 2009, his military and NASA experience positioned him for nomination as NASA Administrator by President Barack Obama, a role confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on 15 July 2009.
Charles Bolden Career
Early Career (1968–1980)
Following his commissioning in 1968, Bolden began Marine Corps flight training and was designated a United States Naval Aviator in May 1970. He flew more than 100 combat sorties into North and South Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia in the A-6A Intruder while assigned to VMA(AW)-533 at Royal Thai Air Base Nam Phong, Thailand, from June 1972 to June 1973.
After returning to the United States, he served as a Marine Corps officer selection and recruiting officer in Los Angeles, California, and completed assignments at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California. In June 1979, he graduated from the United States Naval Test Pilot School at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland, and was assigned to the Naval Air Test Center, where he logged more than 6,000 hours of flying time.
Breakthrough (1980–1994)
Bolden was selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in May 1980 and qualified as an astronaut in August 1981. He was one of several astronauts recruited by Nichelle Nichols as part of a NASA effort to expand the number of minority and female astronauts. He completed a series of technical assignments, including roles at the Johnson Space Center, the Kennedy Space Center, and the Marshall Space Flight Center, eventually serving as Assistant Deputy Administrator at NASA Headquarters.
He flew on four Space Shuttle missions. He served as pilot on STS-61-C (January 12–18, 1986) and STS-31 (April 24–29, 1990), and commanded STS-45 (March 24 – April 2, 1992) and STS-60 (February 3–11, 1994). On STS-31, his crew deployed the Hubble Space Telescope, and on STS-60 he commanded the first joint American–Russian Space Shuttle mission, which included cosmonaut Sergei Krikalev.
NASA Leadership Era (2009–2017)
On 23 May 2009, President Barack Obama nominated Bolden to be the Administrator of NASA, and he was confirmed by the United States Senate by unanimous consent on 15 July 2009. He was the first African American to lead the agency on a permanent basis and served until his retirement in January 2017.
During his tenure, Bolden emphasized human spaceflight, international cooperation, and STEM outreach. In 2010, he stated that one of his top three assignments from the President was to help re-inspire children in science and math, expand NASA’s international relationships, and reach out to the Muslim world to highlight historic contributions to science. In October 2015, he presented the next steps for a human journey to Mars at the Center for American Progress in Washington, D.C.
Notable Events and Milestones
Bolden piloted the STS-31 mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope in April 1990 and commanded the first joint American–Russian Shuttle mission, STS-60, in February 1994. On 28 August 2012, he became the first human being to have his voice broadcast on the surface of Mars when NASA’s Curiosity rover received and returned his recorded transmission to Earth.
Charles Bolden Career Wins
Charles Frank Bolden Jr. received multiple military, NASA, and science-related honors during his career in the United States Marine Corps and at NASA.
Major Honors
Bolden’s military decorations include the Distinguished Service Medal, the Superior Service Medal, and the Legion of Merit. His NASA awards include the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal, the NASA Exceptional Service Medal, and the NASA Space Flight Medal.
Other Recognitions
Bolden has received the National Space Trophy, the Nierenberg Prize, and the Carl Sagan Award for Public Appreciation of Science. In 2020, he 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.
Charles Bolden Family
Family Background and Public Service
Charles Frank Bolden Jr. was raised in Columbia, South Carolina, by his mother, Ethel Martin Bolden. His upbringing in the segregated South shaped his early determination to pursue a military career, ultimately leading to his appointment to the United States Naval Academy after he personally wrote to President Lyndon B. Johnson.
Personal Life
Bolden lives in Alexandria, Virginia, and is married to Alexis Walker. The couple have two children. In the 2024 United States presidential election, Bolden endorsed Kamala Harris.