Bill Nelson Confirmed as NASA Administrator

STS-61-C launches on January 12, 1986, carrying then-congressman Bill Nelson to space.  Photo credit: NASA
STS-61-C launches on January 12, 1986, carrying then-congressman Bill Nelson to space. Photo credit: NASA

Kennedy Space Center, FL. – This week, on April 29, 2021, Bill Nelson, the former United States Senator from Florida was named the new NASA administrator. Bill Nelson who was a Florida House of Representative, United States Senator and astronaut became the 14th administrator of NASA. Nelson, who lives along Florida’s space coast, flew on Space Shuttle Columbia in January 1986 for the STS-61-C mission as a payload specialist. In a statement from NASA, Nelson commented on his new role:

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

The crew of STS-61-C is retrospectively noteworthy due to the inclusion of two future NASA Administrators, Charlie Bolden (seated, left of the shuttle model) , nominated by President Barack Obama, and Bill Nelson, then a Congressman from Florida (standing, second from left). Photo credit: NASA / Public Domain

Acting NASA administer Steve Jurczyk offered the following statement: “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.”


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