According to three people familiar with the decision, President Biden has hired former Democratic Senator Bill Nelson as NASA administrator. A politically experienced ally of the government, Nelson would steer the space agency as it races to return humans to the moon, bolster its climate research, and expand its dependence on a thriving commercial space industry.
Nelson, a former Congressman and U.S. Senator from Florida, would succeed former President Trump’s NASA chief Jim Bridenstine, whose previous experience in Congress proved to be key in rallying support for the Artemis program, an ambitious campaign to promote the moon as a springboard for future astronaut missions to Mars.
Biden’s decision comes nearly two months after taking office and as the White House is largely silent about rolling out a space policy agenda. Senate and NASA employees informally briefed this week of Biden’s decision were told a formal announcement about Nelson’s nomination would come this week, said three sources, who spoke anonymously to discuss private talks before the announcement was made. done. Former astronaut Pam Melroy is being considered for Nelson’s deputy, one source said.
Rumors Biden’s contemplating Nelson leading NASA has been openly wandering in space industry circles for about a month, but it wasn’t until this week that the White House and NASA confirmed the choice.
Nelson represented Florida’s Space Coast as a state legislator in the 1970s and defended NASA during his time in Congress. He became the second sitting member of Congress to fly to space in 1986 as a payload specialist aboard Space Shuttle Columbia. Nelson, a moderate Democrat, served three terms in the Senate until he lost his bid for re-election to former Florida Governor Rick Scott in 2018.
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