Guion Bluford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guion Stewart Bluford
|
|
|---|---|
 |
|
| Born |
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr.
November 22, 1942 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
|
| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Colonel, USAF |
|
Time in space
|
28d 16h 33m |
| Selection | NASA Group 8 (1978) |
| Missions | STS-8 STS-61-A STS-39 STS-53 |
|
Mission insignia
|
    |
Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. (born November 22, 1942) is an amazing American aerospace engineer and a retired United States Air Force officer. He was also a fighter pilot and a former NASA astronaut. Dr. Bluford made history as the first African American to travel into space. He flew on four Space Shuttle missions between 1983 and 1992. In 1983, during the STS-8 mission aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger, he achieved this incredible milestone. He was the second person of African descent to go to space, following Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez.
Contents
Early Life and Education: Guion Bluford's Journey
Guion Bluford was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He finished Overbrook High School in 1960. He loved learning and went on to earn several college degrees. He received a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1964. Later, he earned master's and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. He even got a master's degree in business from the University of Houston–Clear Lake.
His hobbies include reading, swimming, jogging, and golf. He married Linda Tull in 1964 and they have two sons.
Becoming a Pilot and Engineer
Dr. Bluford joined the United States Air Force (USAF). He trained to become a pilot at Williams Air Force Base. He earned his pilot wings in 1966. He flew many different types of jet aircraft, logging over 5,200 hours in the air. This included 1,300 hours as an instructor pilot. He also worked as an aerospace engineer, studying how air moves around objects (called fluid dynamics).
Joining NASA: An Astronaut's Dream
In January 1978, Dr. Bluford was chosen by NASA to become an astronaut. He was part of a special group of astronauts, Group 8. NASA actively sought to include more diverse astronauts, and Dr. Bluford was among those selected.
Selection and Training for Space
He and his fellow astronaut candidates trained for a year. They learned everything needed for space travel. Dr. Bluford's training included working with Space Station operations and the Remote Manipulator System (a robotic arm). He also helped with Spacelab experiments and checked flight software for the Space Shuttle. He became a mission specialist, ready for his flights into space.
First African American in Space: STS-8
Dr. Bluford's first space mission was STS-8. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1983. This was a historic flight for the Space Shuttle Challenger. It was the first time a Space Shuttle launched and landed at night.
During this mission, Dr. Bluford became the first African American to go to space. The crew deployed a satellite for India. They also tested the Canadarm, a robotic arm built in Canada. The astronauts performed experiments to learn about how space affects the human body. After 98 orbits around Earth, Challenger landed safely on September 5, 1983.
More Exciting Missions in Orbit
Dr. Bluford flew on three more Space Shuttle missions, continuing his important work in space.
STS-61-A: A Record-Breaking Crew
His second mission was STS-61-A in October 1985. This flight set a record with eight crew members, the largest crew ever to fly in space at that time. It was a special mission focused on the German D-1 Spacelab. Scientists conducted many experiments in areas like fluid physics and life sciences.
STS-39: Studying Earth and Stars
In April 1991, Dr. Bluford flew on STS-39 aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. The crew collected data about the aurora, Earth's atmosphere, and stars. They used special instruments to study the space environment. They also deployed and retrieved an experiment called SPAS-II.
STS-53: A Classified Mission
Dr. Bluford's final mission was STS-53 in December 1992, again on Discovery. This mission involved deploying a classified payload for the United States Department of Defense. The crew also performed various other experiments for both military and NASA purposes.
After completing his four missions, Dr. Bluford had spent over 688 hours orbiting Earth. He is also an Eagle Scout. In 1986, he had the special honor of returning the Challenger flag to a Boy Scout troop in Colorado.
Life After Space: Inspiring Others
.jpg)
Dr. Bluford left NASA and retired from the Air Force in July 1993. He then took on leadership roles in several aerospace companies. He served as a Vice President at NYMA, Federal Data Corporation, and Northrop Grumman Corporation.
In September 2002, he retired from Northrop Grumman. He then became the President of Aerospace Technology. This is an engineering consulting organization in Cleveland, Ohio. He continues to share his knowledge and inspire others.
Honors and Legacy
Dr. Bluford has received many awards and honors for his amazing career.
Recognitions and Awards
He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997. In 2010, he joined the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame. He was also inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019. He received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal and four NASA Space Flight Medals. In 2020, he was awarded the Ohio Distinguished Service Medal. This is Ohio's highest non-combat award for service. He has also received many honorary doctorate degrees from universities across the country.
Named in His Honor
A middle and high school in Baltimore, Maryland, the Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West, is named after him. In 2021, a building at The Pennsylvania State University was named the Guion S. Bluford Jr. Building in his honor. In 2017, a special musical piece called Hold Fast to Dreams was created and performed in his honor.
Guion Bluford's Inspiring Words
- "I felt an awesome responsibility, and I took the responsibility very seriously, of being a role model and opening another door to black Americans, but the important thing is not that I am black, but that I did a good job as a scientist and an astronaut. There will be black astronauts flying in later missions … and they, too, will be people who excel, not simply who are black … who can ably represent their people, their communities, their country."
- "I’ve come to appreciate the planet we live on. It’s a small ball in a large universe. It’s a very fragile ball but also very beautiful. You don’t recognize that until you see it from a little farther off."
- "I chased my dreams. In the end, find what gets you excited and chase it."
- "I am basically a kid who grew up in West Philadelphia, got interested in airplanes, and has had an exciting career as an aerospace engineer. I’m an aerospace engineer who has found something that he enjoys doing."
Cool Facts About Guion Bluford
- He was a fighter pilot with over 5,200 hours of jet flight time.
- He has a commercial pilot’s license.
- He flew in space four times.
- He earned four degrees and has 14 honorary doctorate degrees.
- He has been inducted into three Halls of Fame.
- He was a senior aerospace engineering executive for three different companies.
- He has enjoyed scuba diving all over the world.
Awards and Honors
Guion Bluford has received many awards and honors throughout his career. Some of these include:
- USAF Command Pilot Astronaut Wings (1983)
- Defense Superior Service Medal (1984)
- Legion of Merit (1993)
- Three Defense Meritorious Service Medals
- Ten Air Force Air Medals
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal (1994)
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal (1992)
- Four NASA Space Flight Medals (for each mission)
- National Society of Black Engineers Distinguished National Scientist Award (1979)
- NAACP Image Award (1983)
- Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) V. M. Komarov Diploma (1993)
- The Ohio Distinguished Service Medal (2020)
He also holds honorary doctorate degrees from many universities.
Images for kids
-
Some of NASA's first African-American astronauts including Ronald McNair, Bluford, and Frederick D. Gregory from the class of 1978 selection of astronauts.
See also
 | Shirley Ann Jackson |
 | Garett Morgan |
 | J. Ernest Wilkins Jr. |
 | Elijah McCoy |
