Guion Bluford

Guion Stewart Bluford Jr., Ph.D. (born November 22, 1942), (Col, USAF, Ret.), is an American aerospace engineer, retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot, and former NASA astronaut.

Guion Bluford
Guion Bluford.jpg
Born
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr.

(1940-11-22) November 22, 1940 (age 83)
StatusRetired
NationalityAmerican
Alma materPenn State, B.S. 1964
AFIT, M.S. 1974, Ph.D. 1978
UHCL, MBA 1987
OccupationFighter pilot, engineer
Space career
NASA Astronaut
RankColonel, USAF
Time in space
28d 16h 33m
Selection1978 NASA Group 8
MissionsSTS-8, STS-61-A , STS-39, STS-53
Mission insignia
STS-8 patch.png STS-61-a-patch.png Sts-39-patch.png STS-53 patch.svg

Bluford was the first African American in space.[1] Before becoming an astronaut, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force, where he remained while assigned to NASA, rising to the rank of Colonel. He participated in four Space Shuttle flights between 1983 and 1992. In 1983, as a member of the crew of the Orbiter Challenger on the mission STS-8.

Guion Bluford Media

References

  1. Launius, Roger D. (2004). Frontiers of Space Exploration. Greenwood Publishing Group. p. 245. ISBN 9780313325243.

Other websites

  Media related to Guion Bluford at Wikimedia Commons