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 NASAastronaut, in which capacity he became the first African American to go to space.[1][2][a] 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 as well as the second person of African descent in space, after Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez.[3]
Personal life
Born in Philadelphia, Bluford graduated from Overbrook High School in 1960. He received a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1964, a Master of Science degree 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.[4] He has also attended the Wharton School of Business of the University of Pennsylvania.[5]
His hobbies include reading, swimming, jogging, racquetball, handball, scuba diving and golf.[6] He married Linda Tull in 1964 and has two sons, Guion III and James.[7]
Air Force career
Bluford attended pilot training at Williams Air Force Base, and received his pilot wings in January 19 for the Aeromechanics Division and as branch chief of the Laboratory’s Aerodynamics and Air frame Branch. He has written and presented several scientific papers in computational fluid dynamics.[6]
He has logged over 5,200 hours of jet flight time in the T-33, T-37, T-38, F-4C, U-2/TR-1, and F-5A/B aircraft, including 1,300 hours as a T-38 instructor pilot. He also has an FAA commercial pilot license.[6]
