NASA's Next Administrator

There was talk back in January that then President-elect Obama might name his choice for NASA administrator before his inauguration. That didn't happen.

Four months later, it still hasn't happened. A science advisor to the President, however, told Congress last week that an announcement is close, and that the leading candidate is retired Air Force Major General and former astronaut Charles Bolden.

Bolden denies he's been offered the job. There is some pressure to get someone in the position quickly, though. Critical decisions about NASA's future generally and about the future of the manned spaceflight program particularly must be made shortly NASA needs a leader to carry its banner into those policy battles.