posted 03-19-2021 09:19 AM               

President Biden Announces his Intent to Nominate Bill Nelson for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration

Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate Bill Nelson to serve as National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator.

Bill Nelson, Nominee for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Administrator

Senator Bill Nelson, former U. S. Senator, is a fifth generation Floridian whose family came to Florida in 1829. He has served in public office over four decades, first in the state legislature and U. S. Congress, then as State Treasurer. He was elected three times to the United States Senate, representing the third largest state for 18 years. His committees included the breadth of government policy from defense, intelligence and foreign policy to finance, commerce and health care.

Nelson chaired the Space Subcommittee in the U.S. House of Representatives for 6 years and in the Senate was the Chairman or Ranking Member of the Senate Space and Science Subcommittee and Ranking Member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation. Most every piece of space and science law has had his imprint, including passing the landmark NASA bill of 2010 along with Senator Kay Bailey Hutchinson. That law set NASA on its present dual course of both government and commercial missions.

In 1986 he flew on the 24th flight of the Space Shuttle. The mission on Columbia, orbited the earth 98 times during six days. Nelson conducted 12 medical experiments including the first American stress test in space and a cancer research experiment sponsored by university researchers.

In the Senate he was known as the go-to senator for our nation's space program. He now serves on the NASA Advisory Council.

posted 03-19-2021 09:23 AM               

I am honored to be nominated by Joe Biden and, if confirmed, to help lead NASA into an exciting future of possibilities.

Its workforce radiates optimism, ingenuity and a can-do spirit. The NASA team continues to achieve the seemingly impossible as we venture into the cosmos.

NASA Statement on Nomination of Bill Nelson for Agency Administrator

Acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk released the following statement after today's nomination by President Joe Biden of Bill Nelson to serve as the 14th NASA administrator:

"I'm pleased President Biden has nominated former U.S. Senator Bill Nelson to lead our agency. Bill has a proven history of supporting our work here at NASA, and has helped advance America's position in human exploration, science, aeronautics, and technology. While the Senate must confirm the nomination, I look forward to continuing to work with Bill and the Biden-Harris administration to carry out NASA's many critical missions in the years to come.

"The men and women at NASA are an incredible national asset and will continue to take on the most pressing issues facing our country. As we look to the future – and with Bill at the helm – we will continue to take on and find solutions to problems once thought unsolvable, and educate and inspire the next generation of American scientists, engineers, and workers."

Nelson represented Florida in the Senate from 2001-19 where he served as ranking member on the Commerce, Science, and Transportation Committee. Previously, he represented Florida's 9th and 11th Congressional Districts in the U.S. House of Representatives. While chair of the House space subcommittee, Nelson flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia as a payload specialist on the STS-61C mission in 1986. He was appointed to the NASA Advisory Council by former Administrator Jim Bridenstine in May 2019.

Bill Nelson is an excellent pick for NASA Administrator.

He has the political clout to work with President Biden's Office of Management and Budget, National Security Council, Office of Science and Technology Policy, and partisan Members of the House and Senate. He has the diplomatic skills to lead an international coalition sustainably to the Moon and on to Mars.

Bill Nelson will have the influence to deliver strong budgets for NASA and, when necessary, he will be able to enlist the help of his friend, President Joe Biden. The Senate should confirm Bill Nelson without delay.

posted 03-19-2021 09:37 AM               

CSF statement on the nomination of Senator Bill Nelson (Ret.) for NASA Administrator

The Commercial Spaceflight Federation applauds President Joe Biden's nomination of Senator Bill Nelson (Ret.) to be the next NASA Administrator.

America's commercial space industry looks forward to working with Senator Nelson to continue providing NASA with the world's most innovative and affordable technologies and solutions to achieve its ambitious missions above the Earth and across the solar system.

Statement on the Nomination of Bill Nelson as the Next NASA Administrator

Space Foundation, a nonprofit advocate organization founded in 1983, today announced it is encouraged by the nomination of the Honorable Bill Nelson of Florida by President Biden to be the next Administrator of NASA. As the past months and years have shown, today's global space ecosystem is in an unfolding renaissance of creativity, collaboration and community building.

The public, private and research sectors in the United States and around the world are pioneering a future that will benefit everyone in exploration, in orbit and here on planet Earth. As the new leader of NASA, the next Administrator is coming into an era of remarkable possibilities with new launch systems, commercial vendors, ground-breaking capabilities, a more diverse workforce and more global partners than at any other time in history.

Space Foundation looks forward to working with the former U.S. Senator from Florida and his colleagues at NASA in the days ahead and welcomes him to the 36th Space Symposium this coming August 23-26 at The Broadmoor in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

posted 03-19-2021 09:38 AM               

Chairwoman Johnson and Subcommittee Chairman Beyer Applaud Nomination of Senator Bill Nelson for NASA Administrator

Today, President Joe Biden announced his intent to nominate former United States Senator and astronaut, Bill Nelson, to serve as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA).

"I am pleased that the President has chosen Sen. Nelson to lead NASA, an agency that is one of the crown jewels of the nation's science and technology enterprise and a source of inspiration throughout the world," said Chairwoman Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX). "Through his committee leadership positions in both the House and Senate, Sen. Nelson has amassed decades of experience in dealing with NASA, Congress, and the space and aviation communities, and I know he will be able to hit the ground running when he becomes Administrator. He shares my love for NASA and the dedicated men and women who work there, and I look forward to working with him to create an exciting future for the agency."

"Former Senator Nelson knows space policy inside and out as a leader on the Senate Commerce Committee, and as someone who has been to space," said Space and Aeronautics Subcommittee Chairman Don Beyer (D-VA). "His experience, knowledge, and strong ties to Capitol Hill will be an asset as the Biden-Harris Administration pursues an ambitious agenda of space exploration and scientific advancement, which will require support and funding from Congress. This is a time of great American achievements in space, with even brighter possibilities ahead, and I look forward to partnering with Sen. Nelson to continue this exciting progress at NASA."

Cantwell Statement on Nomination of Former Senator Bill Nelson to be NASA Administrator

U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chair of the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation, released the following statement on President Biden's announcement that he intends to nominate Senator Bill Nelson to serve as Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA):

"Bill Nelson has long been one of NASA's strongest and most passionate advocates. I am confident that he has the expertise and the political acumen to maintain and build upon the nation's leadership in space in both the public and commercial sectors. I look forward to hearing his vision when appears before the Committee."

posted 03-19-2021 09:40 AM               

Congratulations Senator Bill Nelson on your nomination as NASA Administrator. Your experience both on and off Earth will ensure that we'll have strong leadership and commitment when the U.S. returns to the Moon — this time to stay.

Congratulations to Sen. Nelson on his nomination for NASA Administrator. As NASA turns its focus to the Moon and Mars, we look forward to working together to develop a thriving commercial ecosystem in Low Earth Orbit and establish a microgravity platform capability to succeed ISS.

posted 03-19-2021 03:26 PM               

"The NASA administrator should be a consummate space professional who is technically and scientifically competent, and is a skilled executive," he said during Bridenstine's confirmation hearing. "This committee has heard me say many times: NASA is not political. The leader of NASA should not be political. The leader of NASA should not be bipartisan." —Senator Bill Nelson.

posted 03-19-2021 05:16 PM               

Bridenstine, in my personal opinion, was one of the best Administrators to come along in a long while. He had some of the "political clout" he credits Nelson with in his statement, and a deep interest in the space program's success.

Technical expertise is not necessarily the most important item on the resume for NASA Administrator, as was evident during Bolden's time there. I am hopeful that Nelson has the right combination of political connections and the extensive knowledge he has gained throughout his 30+ years of supporting NASA after his flight in '86.

posted 03-20-2021 04:04 PM            

quote:

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Originally posted by Jim Behling:
For me as a NASA employee, thumbs down on the choice.

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posted 03-21-2021 08:15 AM               

Question: "Do you know how to ruin Nelson's entire mission?"

Answer: "On launch morning tell him they've found a cure to cancer, it's raining a flood in Ethiopia, and the Berlin Wall is coming down! He'll be crushed."

posted 04-28-2021 10:59 AM               

The Senate Commerce Committee voted today to advance former Sen. Bill Nelson's nomination for NASA Administrator. The nomination now goes to the full Senate for a confirmation vote.

posted 04-29-2021 04:33 PM               

Confirmed by unanimous consent: Executive Calendar #113 Bill Nelson to be Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.

posted 04-29-2021 08:19 PM               

Statements on Bill Nelson's Senate Confirmation as NASA Administrator

The following are statements from Sen. Bill Nelson and acting NASA Administrator Steve Jurczyk on Thursday's U.S. Senate confirmation of Nelson as the 14th administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration:

"I am honored by the President's nomination and the Senate vote," Nelson said. "I will try to merit that trust. Onward and upward!"

"I'm happy to welcome Bill to the NASA family," said Jurczyk. "It's been an amazing year for NASA and our commercial and international partners, and I look forward to working with Bill and the Biden-Harris Administration to build on the incredible momentum we've built so far. It has been an honor to serve as acting administrator, but it's the NASA workforce that makes the agency one-of-a-kind. Thank you for all you do to advance NASA's critical missions."

posted 05-03-2021 09:55 AM               

A pretty amazing way to kick off the week. Vice President Kamala Harris swears in NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, and yes, a moon rock was present.

In attendance were Nelson's wife Grace, his daughter Nan Ellen Nelson and son Bill Nelson, Jr.; former NASA Administrator Charlie Bolden; NASA Deputy Administrator nominee Pam Melroy; and virtually, former NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine.

About the moon rock (from the White House press pool):

• The Apollo 16 lunar sample was collected by John Young about 15 meters southwest of the landing site.

• The rock weighs 129 grams. It is a fragment of the original rock that weighed 4,307 grams when returned to Earth.

• The sample is a polymict breccia. The rock like all lunar highland breccias is very old, about 3,900,000,000 years, older than 99 percent of all Earth surface rocks.

posted 05-03-2021 12:01 PM               

Former Senator Bill Nelson is ceremonially sworn-in as the 14th NASA Administrator by Vice President Kamala Harris on, Monday, May 3, 2021, at the Ceremonial Office in the Old Executive Office Building in Washington.

posted 05-03-2021 05:38 PM               

Vice President Harris Swears in NASA Administrator Sen. Bill Nelson

Sen. Bill Nelson took office as the 14th administrator of NASA Monday, after he was given the oath of office by Vice President Kamala Harris during a ceremony at the Eisenhower Executive Office Building in Washington.

In his new role at NASA, Nelson will lead the nation's space program as it carries out critical missions, including landing the first woman and first person of color on the Moon with the Artemis program, expanding climate change research, fostering innovation and enhancing the U.S. economy and STEM workforce.

"It's an honor to be sworn in by Vice President Harris to serve as NASA administrator, and I look forward to a continued, strong relationship with her as chair of the National Space Council," Nelson said after the ceremony. "I want to thank Steve Jurczyk for his leadership as Acting Administrator over the past few months, helping to carry out the Biden-Harris Administration's priorities and ensure the success of NASA's goals and missions. You've seen the incredible accomplishments at NASA over the past 100 or so days – the proof is in the pudding."

As part of the swearing-in ceremony, Vice President Harris and Nelson were joined via video conference by Jim Bridenstine, who preceded Nelson as administrator, and in-person by Charles F. Bolden, who served as administrator from 2009 to 2017. Nelson's family and Pam Melroy, nominee for NASA deputy administrator, were guests at the ceremony.

"I was glad to be joined today by my rock, my wife, Grace, my children, deputy administrator nominee Col. Pam Melroy, and former NASA Administrators Charlie Bolden and Jim Bridenstine, whose standing with me symbolizes the continuity of purpose and bipartisanship," Nelson said. "It's an incredible time for the aerospace sector, and I'm excited to lead NASA's workforce into an exciting future!"

"Congratulations, Mr. Administrator, for all the work you've done and all you've dedicated to our country," Vice President Harris said. "I couldn't agree more that this has to be about our nation and what is best for our nation, unencumbered by partisan politics, but based on what we know is the right thing to do."

The U.S. Senate confirmed Nelson to serve as the NASA administrator April 29.

Nelson has an extensive history of working with NASA and has been integral to the agency's current successes. Prior to his nomination, was a member-at-large on NASA's advisory council. From 2001 to 2019, Nelson represented Florida in the U.S. Senate, where he served as ranking member of the Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation and led its Subcommittee on Science and Space.

Previously, Nelson represented Florida's 9th and 11th districts in the U.S. House of Representatives. While chair of the House space subcommittee, Nelson flew aboard the space shuttle Columbia as a payload specialist on the STS-61C mission in 1986, where he conducted 12 medical experiments including the first American stress test in space and a cancer research experiment sponsored by university researchers. The mission also included Bolden, as pilot.

posted 09-02-2021 07:25 PM               

Past in mind, NASA Administrator looks to future on visit to Johnson Space Center

Bill Nelson's trip to the Johnson Space Center in Houston this week evoked memories of his first visit to the home of U.S. human spaceflight more than 35 years ago.

Now a former senator and the current head of NASA, Nelson was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives when he first reported to Johnson in 1985. After several months of training, Nelson became the second congressional observer fly into Earth orbit, lifting off as a payload specialist on the last space shuttle mission before the Challenger tragedy in January 1986.

"I had the privilege of spending some time here," Nelson told reporters at Johnson Space Center on Thursday (Sep. 2.). "I discovered my fondness for chicken fajitas here."