WASHINGTON -- A hearing to confirm the positions of the new NASA administrator and NASA deputy administrator is expected to happen on July 8.

Retired Marine Corps Major General Charles Bolden and Lori Garver were both nominated together by President Barack Obama on May 23.

Both candidates are no strangers to the NASA program.

Bolden went up on four space shuttle missions as a commander between 1986 and 1994, when he left to serve time in the Marine Corps.

Garver was a former NASA associate administrator for policy and plans during the Clinton administration.

Bolden's nomination has become a swift one because of the empty chief administrator seat since Michael Griffin's resignation in January.

Since Griffin stepped down, Chris Scolese, NASA associate administrator, has been serving as the interim chief.

The U.S. Senate Commerce Committee has not formally scheduled the hearing, but according to Space.com, the date is being considered.