CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. — President Joe Biden has chosen a former senator from Florida who flew on the space shuttle to lead NASA.
Biden announced his intent Friday.
Bill Nelson, 78, grew up near Cape Canaveral. He was a Democratic congressman when he launched aboard space shuttle Columbia in January 1986, just days before the Challenger launch accident.
His commander was Charles Bolden Jr., who later served as NASA administrator under President Barack Obama.
Nelson was elected in 2000 to the Senate, where he served until 2018.