Guion Bluford facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Guion Guy Stewart Bluford
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Guion Stewart Bluford Jr.
November 22, 1942 Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.
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| Space career | |
| NASA astronaut | |
| Rank | Colonel, USAF |
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Time in space
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28d 16h 33m |
| Selection | NASA Group 8 (1978) |
| Missions | STS-8 STS-61-A STS-39 STS-53 |
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Mission insignia
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Guion Stewart Bluford Jr. (born November 22, 1942) is an American aerospace engineer. He is also a retired U.S. Air Force officer and fighter pilot. He became a NASA astronaut and was the second person of African descent to travel to space.
Before joining NASA, he was an officer in the U.S. Air Force. He stayed with the Air Force while working for NASA, reaching the rank of colonel. He flew on four Space Shuttle missions between 1983 and 1992. In 1983, he made history on the Challenger mission STS-8. He became the first African American in space. He was also the second person of African descent in space, after Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo Méndez.
Contents
Early Life and Education
Guion Bluford was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He finished Overbrook High School in 1960. He loved learning and earned several degrees.
- He got a bachelor's degree in aerospace engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1964.
- He earned a master's degree in aerospace engineering in 1974. This was from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT).
- In 1978, he received a doctorate degree in aerospace engineering from AFIT.
- He also earned a master's degree in business from the University of Houston–Clear Lake in 1987.
Guion Bluford enjoys many hobbies. These include reading, swimming, jogging, racquetball, handball, scuba diving, and golf. He married Linda Tull in 1964. They have two sons, Guion III and James.
Air Force Adventures
Bluford began his pilot training at Williams Air Force Base. He earned his pilot wings in January 1966. He then trained to fly the F-4C combat jet.
In 1967, Bluford became an instructor pilot. He taught others to fly the T-38A jet at Sheppard Air Force Base, Texas. He helped make sure pilots met high standards. Later, he worked as an engineer at Wright-Patterson Air Force Base. He wrote scientific papers about how fluids move around objects, like airplanes.
He has flown over 5,200 hours in various jet aircraft. This includes 1,300 hours as a T-38 instructor. He also holds a commercial pilot license.
Becoming a NASA Astronaut
NASA chose Guion Bluford to be an astronaut in January 1978. He was part of NASA's eighth group of astronauts. He was one of several astronauts recruited to increase diversity at NASA. After a year of training, he officially became an astronaut in August 1979.
Bluford worked on many important projects. He helped with Space Station operations and the Remote Manipulator System (robotic arm). He also worked on Spacelab systems and Space Shuttle safety. He even helped test flight software.
He served as a mission specialist on four Space Shuttle flights: STS-8, STS-61-A, STS-39, and STS-53.
First Mission: STS-8 (1983)
Bluford's first space mission was STS-8. It launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on August 30, 1983. This was the third flight for the Orbiter Challenger. It was also the first time a Space Shuttle launched and landed at night.
During this mission, the crew:
- Deployed the Indian National Satellite (INSAT-1B).
- Tested the Canadian-built robotic arm (the Canadarm).
- Ran experiments with live cell samples.
- Conducted medical tests to see how space affects the body.
- Activated four "Getaway Special" containers for small experiments.
STS-8 orbited Earth 98 times. The mission lasted 145 hours. Challenger landed at Edwards Air Force Base, California, on September 5, 1983.
Second Mission: STS-61-A (1985)
Bluford's second mission was STS-61-A. This was a German D-1 Spacelab mission. It launched from Kennedy Space Center on October 30, 1985. This mission had eight crew members, the most ever to fly in space at that time. It included three European payload specialists.
This mission was special because Germany directed the Spacelab experiments. The crew deployed a satellite and performed 76 experiments. These experiments covered topics like fluid physics, materials, and life sciences. After 111 orbits and 169 hours, Challenger landed on November 6, 1985.
Third Mission: STS-39 (1991)
Bluford's third mission was STS-39. It launched on April 28, 1991, aboard the Orbiter Discovery. The crew collected data on auroras, Earth's atmosphere, and the space environment.
They used special equipment to study infrared light and ultraviolet light. The crew also deployed and retrieved a satellite carrying an experiment. They performed other tests and deployed a classified payload. Discovery completed 134 orbits and spent 199 hours in space. It landed at Kennedy Space Center on May 6, 1991.
Fourth Mission: STS-53 (1992)
Bluford's last mission was STS-53. It launched from Kennedy Space Center on December 2, 1992. The crew of five deployed a classified payload for the Department of Defense. They also performed several military and NASA experiments.
After 115 orbits and 175 hours in space, Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base on December 9, 1992.
In total, Guion Bluford spent over 688 hours in space across his four missions.
Life After NASA
Bluford left NASA and retired from the Air Force in July 1993. He then worked in leadership roles at several engineering companies. He became the President of Aerospace Technology, an engineering consulting company, in 2002.
He has received many honors for his achievements:
- He was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997.
- He joined the United States Astronaut Hall of Fame in 2010.
- He was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame in 2019.
In 2002, scholar Molefi Kete Asante included Bluford in his list of "100 Greatest African Americans." In 2020, he received the Ohio Distinguished Service Medal. This is Ohio's highest non-combat award for service.
A school in Baltimore, Maryland, the Bluford Drew Jemison STEM Academy West, is named in his honor. In 2021, a building at Penn State was named the Guion S. Bluford Jr. Building.
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
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Some of NASA's first African-American astronauts including Ronald McNair, Bluford, and Frederick D. Gregory from the class of 1978 selection of astronauts.
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See also
