1 00:00:01,589 --> 00:00:03,500 Hello, I'm LeVar Burton. 2 00:00:03,500 --> 00:00:10,050 And it's my pleasure to salute a man Charlie Bolden -- a man who has devoted his life to 3 00:00:10,050 --> 00:00:11,470 public service. 4 00:00:11,470 --> 00:00:15,660 And in doing so broke down barriers and help America reach new heights. 5 00:00:15,660 --> 00:00:21,500 From the segregated South to space, Charlie Bolden's journey has served to shape a true 6 00:00:21,500 --> 00:00:22,800 leader. 7 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:27,020 His service in the military, as an astronaut, and as the Administrator of NASA have created 8 00:00:27,020 --> 00:00:30,619 a legacy of breathtaking accomplishments. 9 00:00:30,619 --> 00:00:34,460 After a distinguished military career, as a marine aviator, Charlie was accepted to 10 00:00:34,460 --> 00:00:36,300 NASA's astronaut corps. 11 00:00:36,300 --> 00:00:40,880 One of the first African American astronauts, he flew to space four times aboard the space 12 00:00:40,880 --> 00:00:45,760 shuttle, piloting the Hubble Space Telescope to orbit and commanding the first crew to 13 00:00:45,760 --> 00:00:48,149 include a Russian cosmonaut. 14 00:00:48,149 --> 00:00:52,789 Resuming his military career, Bolden rose to the rank of major general before retiring. 15 00:00:52,789 --> 00:00:55,780 But that wasn't to last too long. 16 00:00:55,780 --> 00:00:59,460 Charlie's reputation caught the attention of President Barack Obama, who nominated him 17 00:00:59,460 --> 00:01:04,839 to become NASA's first African American Administrator. 18 00:01:04,839 --> 00:01:09,729 Charlie oversaw the nation's space program during a challenging transition from the flagship 19 00:01:09,729 --> 00:01:13,540 Space Shuttle Program to its ongoing journey to Mars. 20 00:01:13,540 --> 00:01:18,409 For more than 7 years, he led the agency through a remarkable transformation and toward its 21 00:01:18,409 --> 00:01:21,819 most amazing modern accomplishments. 22 00:01:21,819 --> 00:01:26,109 His advocacy for the International Space Station helped extend the mission of the orbiting 23 00:01:26,109 --> 00:01:31,999 laboratory through at least 2024 and saw the station begin to reach its full potential 24 00:01:31,999 --> 00:01:35,789 as a springboard to the rest of the solar system. 25 00:01:35,789 --> 00:01:40,840 Charlie's intrepid support made it possible for NASA to engage private industry with two 26 00:01:40,840 --> 00:01:45,889 cargo resupply companies currently providing regular service to the station, with a third 27 00:01:45,889 --> 00:01:48,920 to come in the next phase of the program. 28 00:01:48,920 --> 00:01:53,810 Resuming launches of American astronauts from the U.S. has been a top NASA priority, and 29 00:01:53,810 --> 00:01:58,810 as Charlie ends his tenure, NASA is on the cusp of that achievement, with two commercial 30 00:01:58,810 --> 00:02:03,659 companies contracted for crew transport making rapid progress with their systems, and astronauts 31 00:02:03,659 --> 00:02:06,759 readying for the first test flight. 32 00:02:06,759 --> 00:02:12,569 NASA will return to deep space aboard the most powerful rocket ever built the Space 33 00:02:12,569 --> 00:02:17,319 Launch System and the Orion crew capsule that leapt from drawing boards to testing during 34 00:02:17,319 --> 00:02:19,209 Charlie's time at NASA. 35 00:02:19,209 --> 00:02:23,661 Orion has already traveled to space, and an integrated flight of the SLS rocket and the 36 00:02:23,661 --> 00:02:28,159 crew capsule is set for late 2018. 37 00:02:28,159 --> 00:02:32,950 Technology continued to drive exploration under Bolden with advances in entry, descent 38 00:02:32,950 --> 00:02:37,230 and landing, solar electric propulsion and other capabilities we'll use for tomorrow's 39 00:02:37,230 --> 00:02:38,230 missions. 40 00:02:38,230 --> 00:02:43,989 And science never slept under Bolden's leadership, with the agency sending the cutting edge Curiosity 41 00:02:43,989 --> 00:02:49,260 rover to the Red Planet to search for evidence of conditions favorable to life and prepare 42 00:02:49,260 --> 00:02:51,640 for human missions. 43 00:02:51,640 --> 00:02:57,000 The astronaut who will take the first human steps on Mars and the scientists who will 44 00:02:57,000 --> 00:03:01,599 discover the next great breakthrough that makes that step possible might very well be 45 00:03:01,599 --> 00:03:04,540 sitting in a classroom right here in Washington, D.C. 46 00:03:04,540 --> 00:03:09,599 As New Horizons flew by Pluto in an historic first encounter, NASA gained images and data 47 00:03:09,599 --> 00:03:12,069 from the farthest edge of our solar system. 48 00:03:12,069 --> 00:03:18,410 The solar powered Juno is currently gathering new and intriguing information about our biggest 49 00:03:18,410 --> 00:03:20,110 neighbor, Jupiter. 50 00:03:20,110 --> 00:03:25,640 The new age of cosmic discoveries that Charlie helped launch with Hubble will advance in 51 00:03:25,640 --> 00:03:32,489 2018 with the James Webb Space Telescope, whose construction has been completed. 52 00:03:32,489 --> 00:03:38,069 Charlie's favorite planet is Earth, and he championed an unprecedented fleet of Earth 53 00:03:38,069 --> 00:03:43,620 observation satellites, including the Orbiting Carbon Observatory and LandSat 8 as well as 54 00:03:43,620 --> 00:03:47,569 instruments aboard the space station, that are helping us better understand our home. 55 00:03:47,569 --> 00:03:53,810 A noted pilot himself, Charlie brought new energy to an Aeronautics program that continues 56 00:03:53,810 --> 00:03:59,689 to pioneer new air traffic management technologies as well as promising work in green fuel, the 57 00:03:59,689 --> 00:04:05,939 next generation of supersonic flight and morphing wings that adapt to conditions. 58 00:04:05,939 --> 00:04:10,870 Tomorrow's air and space pioneers have always looked to Charlie for example and encouragement, 59 00:04:10,870 --> 00:04:17,250 and perhaps his greatest legacy is the inspiration he has given countless students around the 60 00:04:17,250 --> 00:04:22,780 world to help encourage a new generation of explores. 61 00:04:22,780 --> 00:04:28,210 Charlie Bolden's impact as an explorer will grow and expand as our nation continues to 62 00:04:28,210 --> 00:04:34,400 reach higher in air and space, Sending humans deeper into space than ever before, eventually 63 00:04:34,400 --> 00:04:36,000 on to Mars. 64 00:04:36,000 --> 00:04:43,570 We'll continue to do what it takes to turn science fiction into science fact. 65 00:04:43,570 --> 00:04:47,640 And to make the impossible, possible. 66 00:04:47,640 --> 00:04:54,849 It's because of each and every one of you that I can say right now with great confidence 67 00:04:54,849 --> 00:04:58,030 the state of our NASA is strong. 68 00:04:58,030 --> 00:04:59,030 (Applause) 69 00:04:59,030 --> 00:05:07,800 Thank you, Charlie Bolden, for propelling us even farther on our journey of discovery 70 00:05:07,800 --> 00:05:08,930 and exploration.