NASA Administrators and Their Professional Backgrounds

NASA Administrators and Their Professional Backgrounds a free SpacePolicyOnline.com fact sheet that briefly summarizes the professional backgrounds of all 11 men who have served as NASA Administrator so far.   President Trump’s nomination of Rep. Jim Bridenstine (R-OK) to be the next NASA Administrator has raised questions about the qualifications needed to serve in that position.  Some media sources are asserting that all previous NASA Administrators have been scientists, engineers or astronauts, but that is incorrect. Neither James Webb (1961-1968) nor Sean O’Keefe (2001-2005) had degrees in science or engineering or were astronauts.  Bridenstine would be, however, the first politician to serve as NASA Administrator.