Charles F. Bolden, Jr.

...Space Symposium in 2013 to discuss challenges and opportunities facing his agency's future. This year's 29th National Space Symposium is expected to attract 9,000 participants to The Broadmoor Hotel in Colorado Springs, April 8-11. The Space Symposium is known for its top-level speakers and global participation, and Bolden's presentation promises to be one of the highlights of the event.

Bolden's 34-year Marine Corps career included 14 years with NASA's Astronaut Office, both as an astronaut and in a number of technical assignments, including overseeing safety efforts for the return to flight after the 1986 Challenger accident; serving as lead astronaut for vehicle test and checkout at the Kennedy Space Center and serving as assistant deputy administrator at NASA headquarters. Between 1986 and 1994, Bolden flew four Space Shuttle missions, commanding two. His flights included deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope and the first joint U.S.-Russian shuttle mission.

A graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, Bolden flew more than 100 combat missions over North and South Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia while stationed in Thailand from 1972-1973. During his career, he served as deputy commandant at the U.S. Naval Academy; deputy commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force in the Pacific; and commanding general of the 1st Marine Expeditionary Force Forward in support of Operation Desert Thunder in Kuwait. He was promoted to major general in 1998 and named deputy commander of U.S. Forces in Japan. He served as commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar in San Diego, Calif., before retiring from the Marine Corps in 2003.

Prior to becoming NASA Administrator, Bolden was chief executive officer of JACKandPANTHER LLC, a leadership, military and aerospace consulting firm.