Guion Bluford Jr.
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. is an American aerospace engineer, Air Force officer, fighter pilot, and former NASA astronaut. Selected in NASA Astronaut Group 8 in 1978, he became the first African American to fly in space.
- Born
- November 22, 1942
- Died
- N/A
- Birthplace
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania,United States
Flights
4
Spacewalks
0
EVA time
N/A
In space
28 days, 16 hours, 33 minutes
Bio
Bluford came to NASA with deep Air Force and engineering experience: combat flying in Southeast Asia, advanced aerospace engineering degrees, and technical work in flight dynamics. His background made him both a and a highly trained aerospace engineer.
His first spaceflight was STS-8 in 1983 aboard Challenger, the first shuttle night launch and night landing. That mission made him the first African American in space and expanded shuttle operational experience with satellite deployment, robotic-arm testing, and life-sciences work.
Bluford later flew STS-61-A, STS-39, and STS-53. His missions included Spacelab science, Department of Defense payloads, and national-security shuttle operations.
After NASA and Air Force retirement, Bluford worked in aerospace engineering leadership and consulting. His career remains historically important for both representation and technical contribution to shuttle operations.