NASA chief announces resignation

NASA Administrator Daniel Goldin announced his resignation to the space agency's employees on Wednesday. During his nine-year tenure, Goldin oversaw a downsizing that eliminated one in four agency jobs, the outsourcing of the space shuttle program and the introduction of a "faster, better, cheaper" management mantra that transformed the agency's exploratory approach from large-scale, long-term projects to focused, quick-hit experiments. President George H.W. Bush hired Goldin away from contractor TRW in 1992. Goldin is the longest-serving NASA administrator in history. "For nearly a decade, it has been my honor to serve the American people by leading our Nation's space program and its dedicated personnel," Goldin said in a letter to President George W. Bush. "It was the highlight of my life when your father asked me in 1992 to serve as America's ninth Administrator for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration." His resignation is effective Nov. 17.