Jim Bridenstine facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Jim Bridenstine
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Official portrait, 2019
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| 13th Administrator of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration | |
| In office April 23, 2018 – January 20, 2021 |
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| President | Donald Trump |
| Deputy | James Morhard |
| Preceded by | Charles Bolden |
| Succeeded by | Bill Nelson |
| Member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Oklahoma's 1st district |
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| In office January 3, 2013 – April 23, 2018 |
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| Preceded by | John Sullivan |
| Succeeded by | Kevin Hern |
| Personal details | |
| Born |
James Frederick Bridenstine
June 15, 1975 Ann Arbor, Michigan, U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
| Spouse |
Michelle Ivory
(m. 2004) |
| Children | 3 |
| Education | Rice University (BA) Cornell University (MBA) |
| Military service | |
| Allegiance | United States |
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| Years of service | 1998–2007 (active) 2010–2015 (reserve) 2015–present (guard) |
| Rank | Lieutenant Commander (active) Lieutenant Commander (reserve) Major (guard) |
| Unit | Oklahoma Air National Guard |
| Battles/wars | War on Terrorism Afghanistan Campaign |
| Awards |
See list
Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2) (w/ "V" device)
Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal Navy Unit Commendation Navy E Ribbon Global War on Terrorism Expeditionary Medal Global War on Terrorism Service Medal National Defense Service Medal Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal Sea Service Deployment Ribbon Expert Pistol Medal |
James Frederick Bridenstine (born June 15, 1975) is an American military officer and politician. He served as the 13th Administrator of NASA (the National Aeronautics and Space Administration). Before leading NASA, Bridenstine was a U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district from 2013 to 2018. He is a member of the Republican Party. After leaving NASA, Bridenstine began working in the private sector for companies like Voyager Space Holdings and Viasat.
President Donald Trump chose Bridenstine to lead NASA on September 1, 2017. The U.S. Senate approved his nomination on April 19, 2018. He was the first elected official to become NASA Administrator. Bridenstine left his role as NASA head on January 20, 2021.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Jim Bridenstine was born on June 15, 1975, in Ann Arbor, Michigan. He grew up in Arlington, Texas. His mother was an elementary school teacher and his father was an accountant. He became an Eagle Scout, which is the highest rank in the Boy Scouts of America.
His family moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma, when he was in high school. During his senior year, he was the captain of the Jenks High School swim team. He was also named Oklahoma Swimmer of the Year.
Bridenstine graduated from Jenks High School in 1993. He received a scholarship to Rice University in Houston, Texas. He earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics, Psychology, and Business in 1998. Later, he earned a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) from Cornell University in 2009.
Early Career and Military Service
Bridenstine joined the United States Navy in May 1998 after college. He became a Naval Aviator, flying planes for both the active duty Navy and the United States Naval Reserve. He flew the E-2C Hawkeye aircraft from an aircraft carrier. He also flew in Central and South America to help with the War on Drugs. Later, he flew the F/A-18 Hornet jet.
After his active duty ended in 2007, Bridenstine worked for a defense consulting firm in Florida. In 2008, he moved back to Tulsa. He became the chief pilot for a team in the Rocket Racing League, a league that planned to race rocket-powered planes.
In December 2008, Bridenstine became the executive director of the Tulsa Air and Space Museum. He helped organize an air show with the Rocket Racing League in 2010. He left the museum in August 2010.
In 2010, Bridenstine began serving in the Navy Reserve. In 2015, he joined the Oklahoma Air National Guard.
Serving in the U.S. House of Representatives
Jim Bridenstine served as a U.S. Representative for Oklahoma's 1st congressional district. This district is based in Tulsa.
Elections to Congress
2012 Election
In 2011, Bridenstine decided to run for Congress against the current representative, John Sullivan. Bridenstine won the Republican primary election in June 2012. The 1st district in Oklahoma is very Republican. So, winning the primary meant he was very likely to win the general election. In November 2012, Bridenstine won against the Democratic candidate, John Olson, with 63% of the votes.
2014 and 2016 Elections
Bridenstine ran for re-election in 2014 and won without anyone running against him. He won his seat again in the 2016 election. After the 2016 presidential election, people thought Bridenstine might be chosen for a big role in the new government. He had already said he would not run for re-election in 2018, keeping a promise to serve only three terms.
Committee Work in Congress
While in Congress, Bridenstine was part of important committees. He served on the Committee on Armed Services. This committee deals with military matters. He also served on the Committee on Science, Space and Technology. This committee focuses on science and space issues.
Within these committees, he worked on specific topics. For example, he was the Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment within the Science Committee. He also worked on space policy.
Leading NASA
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On September 1, 2017, President Donald Trump announced that he wanted Bridenstine to lead NASA. Some politicians, both Republican and Democratic, were concerned. They felt that NASA should be led by a "space professional" with a science or engineering background, not a politician. For example, Senator Bill Nelson, a former astronaut, said the head of NASA should be a space professional.
Before his confirmation, Bridenstine had expressed views that differed from NASA's scientific findings on climate change. However, after becoming Administrator, he stated that he agreed with the scientific understanding that humans are contributing to climate change.
Many people in the space industry supported Bridenstine. They were impressed by his knowledge of space technology. The U.S. Senate confirmed Bridenstine on April 19, 2018. He was sworn in as NASA's 13th Administrator on April 23, 2018.
Space Launch System
In March 2019, Vice President Mike Pence challenged NASA to land humans on the Moon by 2024. This was sooner than the original plan of 2028. Bridenstine said that to achieve this, the Space Launch System (SLS) rocket would need to be built faster. He also considered using commercial rockets like the Delta IV Heavy or Falcon Heavy. However, this idea was later dropped due to technical challenges.
Working with Private Space Companies
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Bridenstine worked closely with private space companies. He developed a good relationship with SpaceX CEO Elon Musk. He supported the idea of humans having a base on the Moon.
The Artemis Program
Bridenstine played a key role in creating the Artemis program. This program aims to return humans to the Moon. He decided that the lunar lander for the Artemis program would be developed by private companies. This was similar to how NASA worked with companies for its Commercial Crew Program.
After NASA
After two and a half years, Bridenstine stepped down as the head of NASA on January 20, 2021. He returned to his hometown of Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Since leaving NASA, Bridenstine has taken on several roles in the private sector.
- On January 25, 2021, he became a senior advisor for Acorn Growth Companies.
- On April 1, 2021, he joined the board of directors for the satellite company Viasat.
- On April 7, 2021, he was appointed to chair the advisory board for Voyager Space Holdings. This company buys businesses to build a space exploration company.
- In January 2024, Bridenstine joined the board of directors for Starlab Space. This is a joint project between Voyager Space and Airbus.
- As of 2024, he also serves on the advisory board of the National Security Space Association.
Political Views
While in Congress, Bridenstine was a member of the House Freedom Caucus. This is a group of conservative members of Congress.
Space Policy
Bridenstine focused a lot on space policy during his time in Congress. He believed that space is very important for our daily lives. He introduced a bill called the American Space Renaissance Act. This bill aimed to improve national security, civil, and commercial space policies. He also helped get funding for the Federal Aviation Administration's office that oversees commercial space travel.
Environment and Climate
Before becoming NASA Administrator, Bridenstine had different views on global climate change. In 2013, he stated that global temperatures had stopped rising. He also criticized the Obama administration for spending more on climate science than on weather forecasting.
However, by May 2018, Bridenstine changed his public position on climate change. He stated that he fully believed the climate was changing. He also said that humans were contributing to it in a major way by putting carbon dioxide into the atmosphere.
Personal Life
Jim Bridenstine married Michelle Deanne Ivory on November 6, 2004, in Fort Worth, Texas.
See also
In Spanish: Jim Bridenstine para niños
