spacetoday.net: Report: Griffin to leave NASA this month

Posted: Wed, Jan 7, 2009, 7:53 AM ET (1253 GMT)
Michael Griffin (JHUAPL)

Current NASA administrator Mike Griffin is not expected to remain at the space agency after President-elect Barack Obama takes office later this month, and a former astronaut is the leading candidate to replace him, according to various reports Tuesday. Griffin, who has been NASA administrator since April 2005, is expected to submit his resignation and have it accepted on January 20, the data Obama becomes president. Several reports Tuesday identified retired Marine Corps major general Charlie Bolden, a four-time shuttle astronaut, as a leading candidate to become administrator. Bolden told reporters he had not been contracted by Obama's transition team about the position, but would not rule out taking the job if offered. Bolden was nominated to become deputy administrator in 2002 but had to withdraw after some raised objections to having an active-duty officer in that civilian post.