Trump to nominate new head of US space agency

WASHINGTON -- US President Donald Trump plans to nominate House Representative Jim Bridenstine to head the country's space agency NASA, the White House said Friday.

Bridenstine was elected to Congress in 2012, serving on the House Armed Services Committee and the Science, Space and Technology Committee.

Bridenstine was also a former Navy pilot flying the E-2C Hawkeye off the USS Abraham Lincoln aircraft carrier, and it was there that he flew combat missions in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Bridenstine, a Trump supporter, reportedly emerged as a favorite for NASA administrator immediately after Trump won the presidential election last November.

The Oklahoma congressman has called for a human return to the Moon before NASA embarks on a mission to Mars.

Currently, NASA is led by its acting administrator, Robert Lightfoot, who has been in that position for more than seven months, the longest time the space agency has been led by an acting chief in its history.

"I am pleased to have Rep. Bridenstine nominated to lead our team," Lightfoot said in a statement.

"Of course, the nomination must go through the Senate confirmation process, but I look forward to ensuring a smooth transition and sharing the great work the NASA team is doing," he added.