Bolden comments on employees, contractors at NASA IT Summit

NASA Administrator Charles Bolden started out his remarks at today’s first-ever NASA IT Summit with a few comments aimed at NASA employees and contractors.

“I expected the NASA people to be here, because I know the CIO told you to come,” Bolden said jokingly.

And as for the contractors in attendance, “you are here to make money, and if you were not making money, you would be out of business,” Bolden said.

Later on in the speech, Bolden referred to audience members again when he mentioned his college diploma.

“I got my degree 42 years ago. Most of you probably are not that old,” Bolden said.

Bolden spoke for about 25 minutes about NASA’s challenges with cybersecurity and its need to “push the boundaries” with innovative IT applications. He also talked about the drive to become a “more integrated, open and collaborative organization.”

Addressing IT experts in general, and the debt owed to IT to keep planes and spacecraft aloft, he said “I’m glad you do it so guys like me—when I used to fly airplanes—could strap in and go.”