Bolden expects private companies to transport U.S. Astronauts hitch rides to the International Space Station on Russian spacecraft now. It is what enables us to fool people that we have a lot more money than we do.”īolden’s administration has coincided with the end of the shuttle program last year and a push by the president for NASA to cultivate private carriers to space. “All of which tend to be the kinds of things that I think are necessary for an agency the size of NASA, with the budget that it has, to be able to perform some of the amazing things that they do. Others include “sound leadership, a sense of camaraderie and caring about our people, and a can-do attitude,” Bolden told U-T San Diego. “They know what the first one is, it’s the United States Marine Corps.”Ĭourage and an expeditionary spirit are two qualities that serve them well in space exploration, Marines said. I tell them every day they are the second greatest organization I’ve ever had an opportunity to belong to,” Bolden told the air show crowd Saturday, which was estimated at about 280,000. And it’s an absolutely super organization. “NASA is an organization like 3rd MAW we’re about 18,000 people. Walter Cunningham, helped command the first manned mission for the Apollo space program in 1968.īolden retired from the military in 2002 after serving two years as commanding general of the 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing headquartered at Miramar. space exploration program, from moon landings to the advancement of space technology. More than 20 other Marines have played key roles in the U.S. In 2009 he was appointed by President Barack Obama to lead NASA, the first African-American to hold the position since the agency was created in 1958 to send humans to space. He flew more than 100 sorties in the A-6A Intruder attack bomber during the Vietnam War and traveled to space four times as an astronaut, twice as shuttle commander. Bolden ended up serving more than 30 years in the Marine Corps and logged more than 6,000 hours in the cockpit. Later he had to be prodded to apply for the astronaut program because he thought he had no chance of being selected. So I had no interest in doing that,” he said in an interview. “And I thought that flying airplanes was inherently dangerous. Naval Academy, he never dreamed of becoming a Marine or an astronaut. When Bolden left Columbia, S.C., to attend the U.S. John Glenn, who became the first American to orbit the earth on Feb. Charles Bolden Jr., when he was a young man.īolden was back at Miramar Saturday as guest of honor at the air show, whose theme this year is “Marines in Flight: Celebrating 50 Years of Space Exploration.” The event, which concludes today, recognizes the historic mission of Marine Col. Turns out he has a lot in common with the administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, retired Marine Maj. Elliott’s favorite subject in school is science but he leans toward dinosaurs and bugs, not star travel, he said. Gavin Elliott and his grandmother stopped at the Miramar Air Show Saturday to look at reproductions of the Challenger shuttle and the space suit Neil Armstrong wore to walk on the moon.Īstronauts, “I think of them as brave people,” the 9-year-old from Laguna Niguel said. (gates open at 8 a.m.) today.Īdmission: Blanket seating and general parking are free bleacher seating is $10 to $18 ($7 to $11 for children) box seating ranges from $13 to $31 VIP ticket packages (which include preferred parking, shade and meals) start around $56.
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