How should the agency's director navigate the post-space-shuttle era of budget constraints and a potentially earthbound future?
How should the agency's director navigate the post-space-shuttle era of budget constraints and a potentially earthbound future?
In March 2011, days after the space shuttle Discovery returned from its final mission, NASA's chief administrator held a summit of the agency's top 500 executives. The issue at hand: How should NASA, so long associated with travel to the moon and beyond, chart its path as the space shuttle era comes to an end? Charles Bolden faced a shrinking budget, pressure to enter commercial and international partnerships, and declining support from both the media and the public - a particularly difficult adjustment for NASA's 18,000 workers, who take considerable pride in their organization's history and stature. In this case, students take Bolden's perspective as he grapples with NASA's shifting mandate and uncertain future.
About the Author(s)
