Guion Bluford

Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. (born November 22, 1942) is an American aerospace engineer, retired United States Air Force (USAF) officer and fighter pilot, and former NASA astronaut, in which capacity he became the first African American to go to space. While assigned to NASA, he remained a USAF officer 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, he became the first African American in space. He is also the first African American to return to space for a second, third, and fourth time. He is the first African American to be awarded NASA's coveted Gold Astronaut Pin and the United States Air Force Command Pilot Astronaut Wings. He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997, the U. S. Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2010, and the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019. i

Personal life Born in Philadelphia, Bluford graduated from Overbrook High School in 1960. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University in 1964, a Master of Science degree with distinction in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT) in 1974, a Doctor of Philosophy degree in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in laser physics, again from AFIT, in 1978, and a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 1987. He has also attended the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.

His hobbies include reading, swimming, jogging, racquetball, handball, scuba diving and golf. He married Linda Tull in 1964 and has two sons.

Air Force career Bluford attended pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, and received his pilot wings in January 1966. He then went to F4C combat crew training in Arizona and Florida and was assigned to the 557th Tactical Fighter Squadron, Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam. He flew 144 combat missions, 65 of which over North Vietnam. In July 1967, he was assigned to the 3630th Flying Training Wing, Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas as a T-38A instructor pilot, training future United States Air Force and West German fighter pilots as part of the Euro-NATO Joint Pilot Training Program. After graduating from the Air Force Institute of Technology in 1974, he was assigned to the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base as Deputy for Advanced Concepts for the Aeromechanics Division and then Branch Chief of the Laboratory's Aerodynamics and Airframe Branch. He has written and presented several scientific papers in computational fluid dynamics. He was one of several astronauts recruited by Nichelle Nichols as part of a NASA effort to increase the number of minority and female astronauts. They trained for a year and were officially designated as astronauts in August 1979. His technical assignments have included working with Space Station operations, the Remote Manipulator System (RMS), Spacelab systems and experiments, Space Shuttle systems, payload safety issues and verifying flight software in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) and in the Flight Systems Laboratory (FSL). Bluford was a mission specialist on STS-8, STS-61-A, STS-39, and STS-53.

STS-8 Bluford's first mission was STS-8, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1983. This was the third flight for the Orbiter Challenger and the first mission with a night launch and night landing. Bluford assisted the commander and pilot in developing the procedures and techniques for night time operations. During the mission, the STS-8 crew deployed the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-1B); tested the Canadian-built robotic arm (the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (SRMS) or Canadarm) with the Payload Flight Test Article (PFTA); operated the Continuous Flow Electrophoresis System (CFES) with live cell samples; conducted medical measurements to understand bio-physiological effects of space flight; and activated four "Getaway Special" canisters. STS-8 completed 98 orbits of the Earth in 145 hours before landing at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1983.

Post-NASA career Bluford left NASA and retired from the USAF in July 1993 to take the post of Vice President/General Manager, Engineering Division of NYMA, Greenbelt, Maryland. He moved to Cleveland to manage the corporate engineering support services business. Bluford led the technical team of more than 400 scientists and engineers in providing technical and research support to NASA Lewis. In May 1997, NYMA was purchased by Federal Data Corporation. Bluford became Vice President of the Aerospace Sector of the Federal Data Corporation. He assumed responsibility for all NASA business development and contracts in the company. In October 2000, Federal Data Corporation was purchased by Northrup Grumman Corporation and Bluford became the Vice President of Microgravity R&D and Operations for the corporation. Under his leadership and management, Bluford's team designed, developed, built, and integrated two human spaceflight research facilities into the International Space Station. They also established the Telescience Support Center at NASA Lewis. In September 2002, Bluford retired from Northrup Grumman and founded the Aerospace Technology Group, an engineering consulting organization in Cleveland, Ohio. and the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019.

In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante listed Bluford on his list of 100 Greatest African Americans. In 2006, Bluford was recognized as a distinguished alumnus of Penn State by being selected as the Grand Marshal for his alma mater's Homecoming celebration.

In 2020, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine awarded him the Ohio Distinguished Service Medal: Ohio's highest non-combat decoration for service.

Organizations Some of NASA's first African-American astronauts including Ronald McNair, Bluford, and Frederick D. Gregory from the class of 1978 selection of astronauts Bluford is a member and a fellow of many organizations: 1981, City of Philadelphia's Philadelphia Bowl (1983) Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) V. M. Komarov Diploma (1993) U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame inductee (2010) National Aviation Hall of Fame inductee (2019) Air Force Institute of Technology Distinguished Alumni Award (2002) The Ohio Distinguished Service Medal (2020) Air Force ROTC Distinguished Alumnus Award (2021) The Ohio Veterans Hall of Fame, inductee (2024)

He also received honorary doctorate degrees from Florida A&M University, Texas Southern University, Virginia State University, Morgan State University, Stevens Institute of Technology, Tuskegee Institute, Bowie State University, Thomas Jefferson University, Chicago State University, Georgian Court College, Drexel University, Kent State University, Central State University and the University of the Sciences.