The Senate confirmed on Wednesday retired astronaut Maj. Gen. Charles Bolden as administrator of NASA, just in time for the space agency's 40th anniversary celebrations of man's first steps on the moon.
His confirmation also came just hours after the launch of space shuttle Endeavour, which began a 16-day mission to the international space station.
The Senate confirmed Bolden to head the National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Former NASA associate administrator Lori Garver was also confirmed as the agency's No. 2 administrator.
The confirmation allows Bolden to be sworn in by July 20, 1969, 40 years after the Apollo 11 moon landing.
Bolden told senators last week that if the United States chooses to lead in technology, it must commit to, among other measures, inspiring the rising generation of children to contribute in the fields of science and engineering as well as enhancing NASA's ability and expertise in understanding Earth's environment.
"Either we can invest in building upon our hard earned world technological leadership or we can abandon this commitment, ceding it to others who are working vigilantly to push the frontiers of space," he said during a confirmation hearing on July 8.
