On STS-61-C, Bolden piloted Space Shuttle Columbia.

He piloted Space Shuttle Columbia in 1986 (STS-61C) and Space Shuttle Discovery in 1990 (STS-31) – the mission that deployed the Hubble Space Telescope. He created NASA’s Space Technology Mission Directorate, responsible for developing the technology that will make future exploration missions successful.

[18], On August 28, 2012, he was the first human being to have his voice broadcast on the surface of Mars.

California, Dec. 23, 2009; Bolden also served as Chief of NASA’s Safety Division at the Johnson Space Center in the wake of 1986’s Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. He was president of his class. He was inducted into the U.S Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2006 and the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2016.

Bolden is a member of Sigma Pi Phi Fraternity.

The need for a human test was determined following a launch abort on STS-41-D where controllers were afraid to order the crew to use the untested escape system.

He does everything. In July of 1998, Bolden was promoted to Major General and assumed the position of Deputy Commander of all United States Forces in Japan.

They also used a variety of cameras, including both the IMAX in cabin and cargo bay cameras, for Earth observations from their record-setting altitude of over 400 miles. Forego a bottle of soda and donate its cost to us for the information you just learned, and feel good about helping to make it available to everyone!

Bolden also had a long and distinguished military career.

The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center on January 12, 1986, orbited the Earth 96 times, and ended with a successful night landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California on January 18, 1986. He completed a Master’s degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California in 1977. The flight launched on February 3, 1994, from Kennedy Space Center, and carried the Space Habitation Module-2 (SPACEHAB), and the Wake Shield Facility. [4][5] Bolden was the first African American to head the agency on a permanent basis.[3].

[26] Bolden is a Christian, stating in a question and answer session in May 2010: "You know, the universe is a big place. On January 12, 2017, Bolden announced his resignation from NASA during a Town Hall meeting at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. His last day would be January 19, and Robert M. Lightfoot Jr. was announced as acting NASA Administrator. [19][20], In 2013 he noted the National Aerospace Week as NASA administrator.

In 2009, President Barack Obama appointed Bolden to be the 12th NASA Administrator, making him only the second astronaut to hold that position.

After completing his undergraduate studies at the United States Naval Academy, Bolden accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps. On January 12, 2017, Bolden announced his retirement from NASA during a town hall meeting at NASA Headquarters in Washington D.C. His last day would be January 19, and Robert M. Lightfoot Jr. was announced as acting NASA Administrator. Bolden served as pilot on STS-61-C (January 12–18, 1986) and STS-31 (April 24–29, 1990), and was the mission commander on STS-45 (March 24 – April 2, 1992), and STS-60 (February 3–11, 1994).