{"id":603440,"date":"2024-02-01T09:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-02-01T14:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/?p=603440"},"modified":"2024-02-12T10:13:15","modified_gmt":"2024-02-12T15:13:15","slug":"honoring-black-astronauts-during-black-history-month-2024","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/honoring-black-astronauts-during-black-history-month-2024\/","title":{"rendered":"Honoring Black Astronauts During Black History Month 2024"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In honor of Black History Month, we recognize the contributions of Black astronauts to our nation\u2019s space programs. Coming to NASA from a variety of backgrounds as military pilots, engineers, scientists, and physicians, these astronauts have made history-making contributions participating in space shuttle missions to perform critical tasks such as deploying and retrieving satellites, performing spacewalks, conducting science and technology research, and piloting and commanding space shuttle missions. More recently, Black astronauts have played key roles in the assembly of the International Space Station, performing numerous spacewalks and robotic operations, and conducting research as expedition crewmembers. Several have distinguished themselves as senior leaders at NASA, including as the agency\u2019s administrator. Looking to the future, Black astronauts are among those eligible for space station as well as exploration missions in the Artemis program.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"696\" height=\"383\" class=\"wp-image-322290\" style=\"width: 750px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_1_table.jpg\" alt=\"black_history_month_2023\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_1_table.jpg 696w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_1_table.jpg?resize=300,165 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_1_table.jpg?resize=400,220 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_1_table.jpg?resize=600,330 600w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 696px) 100vw, 696px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>List of Black astronauts who have flown in space.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Robert H. Lawrence<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Robert H. Lawrence holds the honor as the first Black astronaut selected for a space program. In June 1967, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/robert-lawrence-first-african-american-astronaut\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">U.S. Air Force selected Lawrence<\/a> as a member of the third group of aerospace research pilots for the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/50-years-ago-nasa-benefits-from-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Manned Orbiting Laboratory<\/a> (MOL) Program, a joint project of the Air Force and the National Reconnaissance Office to obtain high-resolution photographic imagery of America\u2019s Cold War adversaries. Tragically, Lawrence lost his life in an aircraft accident in December 1967, and the Air Force cancelled the MOL Program in June 1969. Two months later, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/50-years-ago-nasa-group-7-astronaut-selection\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">seven of the MOL astronauts transferred<\/a> to NASA\u2019s astronaut corps and all flew missions on the space shuttle. It is highly likely that had Lawrence lived, NASA would have selected him in that group, and he would have flown as the first Black astronaut.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Arnaldo Tamayo M\u00e9ndez<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The first person of African heritage to fly in space, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/space-station-20-hispanic-heritage-month\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Arnaldo<\/a> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/estaci-n-espacial-20-mes-del-patrimonio-hispano\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Tamayo<\/a> M\u00e9ndez of Cuba, spent eight days aboard the Soviet Salyut-6 space station in 1980. The Cuban Air Force selected Tamayo M\u00e9ndez as part of the Soviet Union\u2019s Interkosmos program that flew cosmonauts from friendly socialist countries on short visiting flights to their space stations to conduct experiments for their national space programs and academic institutions.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 133px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_lawrence_usaf_portrait.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_lawrence_usaf_portrait\"> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 252px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_lawrence_mol_group_3.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_lawrence_mol_group_3\"> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 127px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/arnaldo_tamayo_mendez_portrait_0.jpg\" alt=\"arnaldo_tamayo_mendez_portrait\"> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 186px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_tamayo_mendez_aboard_salyut_6.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_tamayo_mendez_aboard_salyut_6\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Portrait of U.S. Air Force astronaut Robert H. Lawrence. Middle left: Lawrence, second from left, with his fellow Group 3 Manned Orbiting Laboratory astronauts. Middle right: Portrait of Cuban cosmonaut Arnaldo Tamayo M\u00e9ndez. Right: Tamayo M\u00e9ndez, second from left, with his Soviet crewmates aboard the Salyut-6 space station.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Guion S. Bluford<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/45-years-ago-nasa-selects-35-new-astronauts\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">January 1978, NASA selected<\/a> its largest group of astronauts up to that time, 35 pilots and mission specialists, for the space shuttle program then under development. For the first time, NASA included women and minorities in the selection group, including three Blacks, one pilot and two mission specialists. One of the three, <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/BlufordGS\/blufordgs.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Guion S. \u201cGuy\u201d Bluford<\/a>, became the first Black astronaut in space as a mission specialist aboard space shuttle Challenger\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=ZJw5lE9089o\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-8<\/a> mission in 1983. During the six-day flight that featured the first night launch and night landing of the shuttle program, the astronauts deployed a communications satellite for India and performed tests with the remote manipulator system.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"788\" class=\"wp-image-102565\" style=\"width: 211px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg?resize=300,240 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg?resize=768,614 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg?resize=400,320 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg?resize=600,480 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_1978_selection_african_americans_in_suits_s79-36529.jpg?resize=900,720 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"883\" class=\"wp-image-102568\" style=\"width: 189px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg?resize=300,269 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg?resize=768,688 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg?resize=400,359 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg?resize=600,538 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_on_treadmill_s08-13-0361.jpg?resize=900,807 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"340\" height=\"226\" class=\"wp-image-102572\" style=\"width: 255px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_inflight_crew_photo.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford_sts-8_inflight_crew_photo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_inflight_crew_photo.jpg 340w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-8_inflight_crew_photo.jpg?resize=300,199 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 340px) 100vw, 340px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Selected in 1978, NASA astronauts Ronald E. McNair, left, Guion S. \u201cGuy\u201d Bluford, and Frederick D. Gregory. Middle: Bluford exercises on the treadmill in the middeck of space shuttle Challenger during the STS-8 mission. Right: Bluford, right rear, with his fellow STS-8 crew members.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bluford returned to space in October 1985 on Challenger\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=FDjV0uOr7v4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-61A<\/a> flight, serving as a mission specialist on Spacelab D1, a scientific mission sponsored by the West German space agency DLR. The flight marked the first and so far only time that eight astronauts launched aboard a single spacecraft. During their seven days in orbit, the international crew conducted 75 experiments in a variety of scientific disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"323\" height=\"206\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/black_history_month_2022_9_bluford_sts-61a_working_in_spacelab_61a-001-030.jpg\" alt=\"bluford_sts-61a_working_in_spacelab\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"315\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-61a_inflight_crew_photo_61a-117-0019.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford_sts-61a_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Guion S. \u201cGuy\u201d Bluford, left, works on an experiment during the Spacelab D1 mission. Right: Bluford, lower right, with the rest of the eight-member international STS-61A crew.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Making his third trip into space, Bluford launched aboard space shuttle Discovery in April 1991 on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2ftg5YfemU0&feature=emb_logo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-39<\/a>, the first flight to carry five mission specialists. During the eight-day unclassified mission for the Department of Defense (DOD), Bluford and his crewmates divided into two teams working around the clock. They conducted a series of observations of Earth\u2019s upper atmosphere and its interactions with the shuttle orbiter. The mission\u2019s unusually high 57-degree orbital inclination allowed the astronauts to observe most of the Earth\u2019s landmasses. Using the shuttle\u2019s remote manipulator system, they deployed and retrieved the Shuttle Pallet Satellite-II that conducted independent observations for two days, including monitoring shuttle thruster and engine firings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"324\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-39_on_flight_deck.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford_sts-39_on_flight_deck\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"308\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-39_inflight_crew_photo_s39-07-017.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford_sts-39_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Guion S. \u201cGuy\u201d Bluford on the flight deck of space shuttle Discovery. Right: Bluford, at left in the back, poses for the crew photo during STS-39.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For his fourth and final spaceflight, Bluford lifted off aboard space shuttle Discovery in December 1992. During the seven-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dTCbYEtpNA0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-53<\/a> flight, the final DOD-dedicated mission, Bluford and his four crewmates deployed the third Satellite Data System-2 military communications satellite and conducted several unclassified experiments. On his four missions, he logged 688 hours of spaceflight time. Bluford retired from NASA in 1993 to join the private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"319\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-53_sts053-01-034.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"304\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bluford_sts-53_inflight_crew_photo_sts053-13-021.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bluford_sts-53_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Guion S. \u201cGuy\u201d Bluford photographs the Earth with a video camcorder through the shuttle\u2019s overhead window. Right: Bluford, left, poses with his STS-53 crewmates.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Ronald E. McNair<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Also selected in the 1978 astronaut class, physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/mcnair_ronald.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Ronald E. McNair<\/a> made his first space flight aboard space shuttle Challenger in February 1984. During the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=_jY-ALUq5u8\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-41B<\/a> mission, McNair and his crewmates deployed two commercial satellites and two of the astronauts tested the Manned Maneuvering Unit during the first two untethered spacewalks. McNair, an accomplished jazz saxophonist, became the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/space-station-20th-music-on-iss\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">first person to play a soprano sax in space<\/a>. Space limitations in the shuttle precluded flying McNair\u2019s favorite tenor sax, so he learned to play the smaller version of the instrument for his space flight. The eight-day mission ended with the first space shuttle landing back at NASA\u2019s Kennedy Space Center (KSC) in Florida.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"280\" height=\"208\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_mcnair_sts-41b_playing_sax_s84-27211.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_mcnair_sts-41b_playing_sax\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"322\" height=\"208\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_mcnair_sts-41b_inflight_crew_photo.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_mcnair_sts-41b_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: NASA mission specialist Ronald E. McNair plays the soprano saxophone in the middeck of space shuttle Challenger. Right: McNair, front and center, with the rest of the STS-41B crew.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>McNair\u2019s next flight assignment was also on Challenger, the January 1986 <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/35-years-ago-remembering-challenger-and-her-crew\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-51L mission<\/a> that included the first teacher in space. Although the mission plan did not include a spacewalk, McNair trained as one of the two astronauts to conduct one in case of a contingency. Tragically, the mission ended 63 seconds after liftoff when an explosion caused by a faulty solid rocket booster O-ring, resulted in the loss of the seven-member crew and the space shuttle Challenger. McNair had planned to play a saxophone solo during the STS-51L mission for composer Jean-Michel Jarre’s album\u202f<em>Rendez-Vous<\/em>, including participation in a concert via a live feed. As a tribute to McNair, Jarre entitled the album’s sixth and last piece <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=jtGG1WLP1pk&list=RDjtGG1WLP1pk\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\"><em>Last Rendez-Vous (Ron’s Piece) – ‘Challenger’<\/em><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_mcniar_sts-51l_eva_training.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_mcniar_sts-51l_eva_training\" style=\"width: 275px\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_mcnair_sts-51l_crew_photo_s85-44253.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_mcnair_sts-51l_crew_photo\" style=\"width: 236px\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_mcnair_sts-51l_crew_walkout_for_launch_jan_28_1986_51l-s-030.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_mcnair_sts-51l_crew_walkout_for_launch_jan_28_1986\" style=\"width: 132px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Astronaut Ronald E. McNair dons his spacesuit for contingency spacewalk training in the Weightless Environment Training Facility at NASA\u2019s Johnson Space Center in Houston. Middle: McNair, front row right, in the official STS-51L crew photograph. Right: McNair, third in line, walks with the rest of the STS-51L crew to the Astrovan for the ride out to the launch pad.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Frederick D. Gregory<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The third Black member of the class of 1978, U.S. Air Force pilot <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/GregoryFD\/gregoryfd.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Frederick D. Gregory<\/a>, made his first flight into space in April 1985 aboard space shuttle Challenger. On the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5rdqaJGtQGo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-51B<\/a> mission, Gregory became the first Black astronaut to pilot a space shuttle. During the seven-day Spacelab-3 science mission, the seven crew members divided into two teams to conduct 15 experiments in five different disciplines around the clock.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"341\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-51b_on_flight_deck.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-51b_on_flight_deck\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"340\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-51b_inflight_crew_photo_51b-101-025.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-51b_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Astronaut Frederick D. Gregory on the flight deck of space shuttle Challenger. Right: Gregory, left and upside down, and the rest of the STS-51B crew in the Spacelab module.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On his second trip into space, Gregory flew as the first Black commander of a space shuttle, the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=Axjxb1r0CjE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-33<\/a> mission of Discovery in November 1989. During the five-day flight, the five-member crew completed the primary goal of the DOD mission to deploy a Magnum electronic intelligence satellite.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-102609\" style=\"width: 168px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_s33-03-008.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-33\"> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"490\" height=\"475\" class=\"wp-image-102612\" style=\"width: 220px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_using_a_nikon_to_photograph_in_the_payload_bay_sts033-93-036.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-33_using_a_nikon_to_photograph_in_the_payload_bay\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_using_a_nikon_to_photograph_in_the_payload_bay_sts033-93-036.jpg 490w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_using_a_nikon_to_photograph_in_the_payload_bay_sts033-93-036.jpg?resize=300,291 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_using_a_nikon_to_photograph_in_the_payload_bay_sts033-93-036.jpg?resize=400,388 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 490px) 100vw, 490px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"683\" class=\"wp-image-102615\" style=\"width: 307px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg?resize=300,208 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg?resize=768,533 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg?resize=400,277 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg?resize=600,416 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-33_inflight_crew_photo_s33-22-035.jpg?resize=900,624 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: STS-33 Commander Frederick D. Gregory displays a banner drawn and signed by Japanese students and by the superintendent of the Department of Defense Dependents School in Japan. Middle: Gregory takes photographs through the shuttle\u2019s aft windows. Right: Gregory, left, with his STS-33 crewmates.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Gregory once again served as commander on his third and final spaceflight, the DOD-dedicated <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XPxS8vZ6HD0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-44<\/a> mission. During the seven-day November 1991 flight aboard space shuttle Atlantis, Gregory and his five crewmates deployed a Defense Support Program satellite designed to detect nuclear detonations and missile and space launches. After his third spaceflight, Gregory served at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C., in several high-level management positions. He served as NASA\u2019s first Black deputy administrator from 2002 until his retirement from the agency in 2005.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-44_s44-32-030.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-44\" style=\"width: 225px\"> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 249px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_sts-44_inflight_crew_photo_s44-17-030.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_sts-44_inflight_crew_photo\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_gregory_portrait_as_deputy_administrator.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_gregory_portrait_as_deputy_administrator\" style=\"width: 149px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: STS-44 Commander Frederick D. Gregory talks to Mission Control from the middeck of space shuttle Atlantis. Middle: Gregory, front row left, in the onboard STS-44 crew photo. Right: Official NASA portrait of Gregory as deputy NASA administrator.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Charles F. Bolden<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected in 1980 in the second group of space shuttle astronauts, U.S. Marine pilot <a href=\"https:\/\/historycollection.jsc.nasa.gov\/JSCHistoryPortal\/history\/oral_histories\/BoldenCF\/boldencf.htm\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Charles F. Bolden<\/a>\u2019s first spaceflight took place in January 1986 aboard space shuttle Columbia. He served as the pilot for the six-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=5vvShZXfWdE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-61C<\/a> mission, the last mission before the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/35-years-ago-remembering-challenger-and-her-crew\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Challenger accident<\/a>, to deploy a commercial communications satellite. The flight also featured the first flight of a U.S. Congressman, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/nasa-administrator-bill-nelson\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">C. William \u201cBill\u201d Nelson<\/a>, whose district included KSC, and who now serves as NASA\u2019s 14<sup>th<\/sup> administrator. STS-61C marked the only mission to carry two future NASA administrators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"324\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-61c_in_pilot_seat_for_reentry_61c-01-007.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-61c_in_pilot_seat_for_reentry\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"326\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-61c_inflight_crew_photo_61c-14-008.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-61c_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Charles F. Bolden in the pilot\u2019s seat of space shuttle Columbia prepares for reentry. Right: Bolden, upper right, with his fellow STS-61C crew members.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bolden again served as pilot during his second trip into space in April 1990, the five-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=40n2Cg8pQpA\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-31<\/a> mission to deploy the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/30-years-ago-hubble-launched-to-unlock-the-secrets-of-the-universe\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Hubble Space Telescope<\/a>, the orbiting observatory that has changed our view of the Universe in its more than 30 years of surveying the skies. The space shuttle Discovery reached a then-record altitude of 380 miles to place Hubble in its operational orbit well above the Earth\u2019s atmosphere.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"311\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-31_in_airlock_s31-02-021.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-31_in_airlock\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"322\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-31_inflight_crew_photo_s31-12-031.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-31_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: STS-31 pilot Charles F. Bolden in the airlock of space shuttle Discovery assists with contingency spacewalk preparations. Right: Bolden, upper left, with his STS-31 crewmates following the deployment of the Hubble Space Telescope.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On his third spaceflight, Bolden flew as commander of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=KXasIes7Qyo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-45<\/a>, a nine-day mission aboard space shuttle Atlantis in March 1992. The seven-member crew, divided into two teams to provide uninterrupted data gathering 24-hours a day, operated 12 instruments from 7 countries mounted in the payload bay as part of the Atmospheric Laboratory for Applications and Science-01 mission. Bolden and his crew completed 250 maneuvers to bring Atlantis into the correct positions to obtain the required measurements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"210\" height=\"258\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-45_using_sarex_s45-06-021.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-45_using_sarex\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"394\" height=\"258\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-45_infight_crew_photo_s45-38-004.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-45_infight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: STS-45 Commander Charles F. Bolden communicates on the amateur radio. Right: Bolden, front row right, poses with the rest of the STS-45 crew on the shuttle\u2019s flight deck.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Bolden returned to space for a fourth time as commander of Discovery\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2XIvuyw9nC0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-60<\/a> mission, the first flight of the Shuttle-Mir Program. Russian cosmonaut <a href=\"https:\/\/www.gctc.ru\/main.php?id=930\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Sergei K. Krikalev<\/a> flew as a mission specialist during the nine-day space shuttle mission that included a Spacehab module to conduct a variety of scientific experiments. During his four flights, Bolden logged more than 680 hours of spaceflight time. Shortly after STS-60, he retired from NASA and returned to the U.S. Marine Corps, serving there until 2004. In 2009, President Barack H. Obama nominated, and the Senate confirmed, Bolden as NASA\u2019s 12<sup>th<\/sup> and its first Black administrator, a position he held until 2017.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"746\" class=\"wp-image-102642\" style=\"width: 239px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg?resize=300,227 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg?resize=768,582 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg?resize=400,303 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg?resize=600,454 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_in_cdr_seat_prep_for_entry_sts060-302-001.jpg?resize=900,682 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"985\" height=\"710\" class=\"wp-image-102645\" style=\"width: 250px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg 985w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg?resize=300,216 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg?resize=768,554 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg?resize=400,288 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg?resize=600,432 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_bolden_sts-60_inflight_crew_photo_sts060-31-028.jpg?resize=900,649 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 985px) 100vw, 985px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"2975\" height=\"3850\" class=\"wp-image-603620\" style=\"width: 139px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg 2975w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=232,300 232w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=768,994 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=791,1024 791w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=1187,1536 1187w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=1583,2048 1583w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=309,400 309w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=464,600 464w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=695,900 695w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=927,1200 927w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-36-bolden-portrait-as-nasa-administrator.jpg?resize=1545,2000 1545w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 2975px) 100vw, 2975px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: STS-60 Commander Charles F. Bolden prepares space shuttle Discovery for reentry. Middle: Bolden, upper right, with his STS-60 crewmates. Right: Official NASA portrait of Bolden as the agency\u2019s first Black administrator.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Dr. Mae C. Jemison<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected as an astronaut in 1987, physician <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/jemison_mae.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Mae C. Jemison<\/a> became the first Black woman to fly in space in 1992 as a mission specialist on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=mnlJeAi3teE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-47<\/a>. She and her six crewmates conducted 44 life sciences and materials sciences experiments aboard Endeavour\u2019s Spacelab-J mission, sponsored by Japan\u2019s National Space Development Agency (NASDA), now the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency. Jemison retired from NASA in 1993 but continued to promote space exploration, including writing children\u2019s books and appearing in an episode of <em>Star Trek: The Next Generation<\/em>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"312\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_jemison_sts-47_in_spacelab_sts047-37-003.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_jemison_sts-47_in_spacelab\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"310\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_jemison_sts-47_inflight_crew_photo_sts047-09-009.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_jemison_sts-47_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Mission Specialist Dr. Mae C. Jemison in the Spacelab-J module during the STS-47 mission. Right: Jemison, right, with the rest of the STS-47 crew, poses in the Spacelab-J module.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Dr. Bernard A. Harris<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Flight surgeon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/harris_bernard.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Bernard A. Harris<\/a>, selected as a NASA astronaut in 1990, completed his first space flight in April 1993 as a mission specialist on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NvDfxFAj28E\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-55<\/a>, the German Spacelab D2 mission. During the 10-day Columbia flight, Harris and his crewmates split into two shifts and conducted 88 experiments sponsored by 11 nations in six scientific disciplines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"242\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_harris_sts-55_working_in_spacelab_sts055-106-048.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_harris_sts-55_working_in_spacelab\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"366\" height=\"240\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_harris_sts-55_inflight_crew_photo_sts055-203-009.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_harris_sts-55_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Mission Specialist Dr. Bernard A. Harris works on a materials experiment in the Spacelab-D2 module during STS-55. Right: Harris, back row left, with his STS-55 crew mates.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Harris returned to space on his second flight, as the first Black astronaut designated as the payload commander for a mission, in charge of managing the scientific experiments conducted in the Spacehab module. Discovery\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=XBjp3dkfWUU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-63<\/a> mission, the second Shuttle-Mir flight, included a rendezvous with the Mir space station. The February 1995 mission also featured the first woman to pilot a space shuttle, Eileen M. Collins. During the eight-day mission, Harris conducted a 4-hour, 39-minute spacewalk, the first American African astronaut to do so. Harris retired from NASA in 1996, remaining active in the fields of medicine, research, and education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"307\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_harris_sts-63_w_foale_preparing_to_go_eva_sts063-67-024.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_harris_sts-63_w_foale_preparing_to_go_eva\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"299\" height=\"198\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_harris_sts-63_inflight_crew_photo_sts063-06-018.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_harris_sts-63_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Dr. Bernard A. Harris, right, prepares for a spacewalk during the STS-63 mission. Right: Harris, front row left, with the rest of the STS-63 crew on space shuttle Discovery\u2019s flight deck.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Winston E. Scott<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Aeronautical engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/scott_winston_0.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Winston E. Scott<\/a>, selected as a NASA mission specialist astronaut in 1992, completed his first spaceflight aboard the space shuttle Endeavour in January 1996. During the nine-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=q_Sgn0baiT0\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-72<\/a> mission, Scott participated in a 6-hour 54-minute spacewalk to test tools and techniques planned for use during the assembly of the space station. The six-person crew retrieved the NASDA Space Flyer Unit, a satellite launched in March 1995 to independently conduct materials science, biology, engineering, and astronomy research. The crew also deployed and two days later retrieved the Spartan-206 free-flyer satellite that carried four technology demonstrations and science experiments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"284\" height=\"209\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_scott_sts-72_eva_coordinating_sts072-322-008.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_scott_sts-72_eva_coordinating\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"319\" height=\"209\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_scott_sts-72_inflight_crew_photo_sts072-344-019.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_scott_sts-72_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Mission Specialist Winston E. Scott reviews rendezvous procedures on space shuttle Endeavour\u2019s flight deck. Right: Scott, upper right, with the rest of the STS-72 crew.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>For his second and final mission, Scott returned to space in November 1997 aboard the space shuttle Columbia. During the 16-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=H88NOMEZKso\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-87<\/a> mission, Scott participated in two spacewalks, bringing his total spacewalking experience to more than 22 hours. The crew conducted nine experiments in materials science, combustion science, and fundamental physics as part of the fourth U.S. Microgravity Payload. Scott retired from NASA in 1999 to return to his alma mater, Florida State University, as vice-president for student affairs.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"307\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_scott_sts-87_eva_sts087-369-032.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_scott_sts-87_eva\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"302\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_scott_sts-87_inflight_crew_photo_sts087-307-006.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_scott_sts-87_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Winston E. Scott deploys a prototype free-flying experiment during a spacewalk on the STS-87 mission. Right: Scott, lower right, with his STS-87 crewmates in space shuttle Columbia\u2019s middeck.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Robert L. Curbeam<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected as a NASA astronaut in 1994, aeronautical engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/curbeam_robert.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Robert L. \u201cBeamer\u201d Curbeam<\/a> made his first trip into space aboard space shuttle Discovery in August 1997 during the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=zCwAbsEANh4\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-85<\/a> mission. With study of the Earth the main goal of the 12-day flight, the crew deployed and retrieved the Cryogenic Infrared Spectrometers and Telescopes for the Atmosphere-Shuttle Pallet Satellite-2 (CRISTA-SPAS-2) spacecraft, a joint venture between NASA and the German space agency DLR. The three telescopes and four spectrometers aboard CRISTA-SPAS-2 spent more than 200 hours of free flight observing the Earth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"295\" height=\"192\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_curbeam_sts-85_earth_obs_sts085-316-036.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_curbeam_sts-85_earth_obs\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"295\" height=\"192\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_curbeam_sts-85_inflight_crew_photo_sts085-320-020.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_curbeam_sts-85_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Mission Specialist Robert L. \u201cBeamer\u201d Curbeam photographs the Earth through one of space shuttle Discovery\u2019s overhead windows. Right: Curbeam, left, poses for the inflight photo with the STS-85 crew.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On his second flight in space, Curbeam launched aboard space shuttle Atlantis in February 2001. As a crew member on the 13-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=AevwuIGLtQE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-98<\/a> mission, Curbeam participated in the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/space-station-20th-sts-98-delivers-destiny-to-the-international-space-station\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">installation of the Destiny<\/a> U.S. Laboratory module onto the space station, becoming the first Black astronaut to visit the orbital facility. He conducted three spacewalks totaling nearly 20 hours to complete external connections between the space station and Destiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_curbeam_sts-98_eva2_on_pma3_s98e5189.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_curbeam_sts-98_eva2_on_pma3\" style=\"width: 278px\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"312\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_curbeam_sts-98_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s98e5053.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_curbeam_sts-98_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s98e5053\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Robert L. \u201cBeamer\u201d Curbeam during the second STS-98 spacewalk to install the Destiny U.S. Laboratory module onto the space station. Right: Curbeam, right, with the STS-98 and Expedition 1 crews.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On his third and final flight, Curbeam returned to space, and to the space station, in December 2006, as part of the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=J39CWjDFdQw\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-116<\/a> crew aboard space shuttle Discovery. The 13-day flight marked the first time that two Black astronauts flew on the same mission. The crew installed the P5 truss segment on the ISS, with Curbeam completing four spacewalks to help accomplish the task. With his previous spacewalking experience, Curbeam holds the record among Black astronauts for the most number of spacewalks, seven, and the most spacewalking time, 45 hours 34 minutes. Curbeam retired from NASA in 2007, remaining active in space-related activities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"202\" height=\"269\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_curbeam_sts-116_eva2_working_on_destiny_s116e06314.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_curbeam_sts-116_eva2_working_on_destiny\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_curbeam_sts-116_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s116e06459.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_curbeam_sts-116_inflight_joint_crew_photo\" style=\"width: 377px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Robert L. \u201cBeamer\u201d Curbeam during the second STS-116 spacewalk to install the P5 truss segment onto the space station. Right: Curbeam, middle row at right, with the STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Michael P. Anderson<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Physicist <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/anderson_michael.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Michael P. Anderson<\/a> joined NASA\u2019s astronaut corps in 1994 and made his first flight in space in January 1998 aboard the space shuttle Endeavour. As a mission specialist aboard STS-89, the eighth mission to dock with the space station Mir, Anderson was the first and only Black astronaut to visit the Russian orbital facility. He also conducted scientific experiments in the double Spacehab logistics module during the 9-day mission.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"315\" height=\"210\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_anderson_sts-89_working_microgravity_plant_nutrient_experiment_in_middeck_s89e5205.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_anderson_sts-89_working_microgravity_plant_nutrient_experiment_in_middeck\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"289\" height=\"211\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_anderson_sts-89_inflight_joint_crew_photo_in_mir_s89e5304.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_anderson_sts-89_inflight_joint_crew_photo_in_mir\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Michael P. Anderson works on an experiment in the middeck of space shuttle Endeavour. Right: Anderson, lower right, with the STS-89 and Mir Expedition 24 crews, poses for the inflight crew photo in Mir\u2019s base block module.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Anderson\u2019s next spaceflight came in January 2003, the 16-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/20-years-ago-remembering-columbia-and-her-crew\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-107<\/a> research mission aboard space shuttle Columbia. With Anderson serving as payload commander, the seven-member crew split into two teams to work around the clock on more than 80 experiments in the fields of Earth and space science, advanced technology, and astronaut health and safety. Tragically, about 16 minutes before landing at KSC, space shuttle Columbia broke apart, with loss of the vehicle and the crew. Investigators traced the cause to a piece of foam that fell off the external tank during launch and struck Columbia\u2019s left wing, creating an opening through which superheated gases during reentry impinged on the orbiter\u2019s airframe, causing the vehicle to disintegrate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"337\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_anderson_sts-107_working_on_combustion_module-2_in_shrm_sts107-301-028.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_anderson_sts-107_working_on_combustion_module-2_in_shrm\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"270\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_anderson_sts-107_inflight_crew_photo_sts107-735-032.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_anderson_sts-107_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Michael P. Anderson works on a combustion experiment in the Spacehab Double Research Module during the STS-107 mission. Right: Anderson, at upper right, with the rest of the STS-107 crew, poses for the inflight photograph in the Spacehab module.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Stephanie D. Wilson<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1996, aerospace engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/stephanie-d-wilson\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Stephanie D. Wilson<\/a> completed her first mission in July 2006 aboard the space shuttle Discovery. The 13-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=K1JUgvY2Jxo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-121<\/a> mission, the second return to flight mission after the Columbia accident, resumed outfitting of the space station, including returning its crew size to three. Wilson handled much of the robotics operations, including transferring the Multi-Purpose Logistics Module (MPLM) Leonardo from the shuttle\u2019s cargo bay to the ISS and back again. The MPLM delivered the first of three scientific refrigerator\/freezers and other facilities to the space station to expand its research capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"297\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-121_working_ssrms_in_destiny_s121e07694.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-121_working_ssrms_in_destiny\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"302\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-121_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s121e06239.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-121_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Stephanie D. Wilson at the controls of the space station\u2019s robotic work station in the Destiny module. Right: Wilson, middle row left, with the STS-121 and Expedition 13 crews.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On her second spaceflight in October 2007, Wilson returned to the space station, this time on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=NfX5wb-3hAs\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-120<\/a> mission of space shuttle Discovery. During the 15-day flight, the crew delivered the Harmony Node 2 module to the station, with Wilson robotically assisting in the installation of the new element that enabled the subsequent addition of the European and Japanese research modules.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"288\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-120_w_ssrms_controls_s120e006450.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-120_w_ssrms_controls\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"320\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-120_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s120e007617.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-120_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Stephanie D. Wilson poses in front of the robotic workstation in the space station\u2019s Destiny module. Right: Wilson, at left, poses with the STS-120 and Expedition 16 crews.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In April 2010, Wilson made her third trip into space and her third visit to the space station. During the 15-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=F9Xdluuxw9o&feature=emb_imp_woyt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-131<\/a> mission, the MPLM Leonardo in space shuttle Discovery\u2019s cargo bay delivered three research facilities and other cargo to the orbiting laboratory, with Wilson using the station\u2019s robotic arm to transfer the MPLM to and from the station. During STS-131, for the first time <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/space-station-20th-women-and-the-space-station\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">four women worked in space<\/a> at the same time, three members of the shuttle crew and the fourth a member of the Expedition 23 crew. To date, Wilson has accumulated 43 days of spaceflight time over the course of her three missions.  In January 2024, NASA assigned Wilson to the Crew 9 mission for a long-duration flight aboard the space station later in the year.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 201px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-131_in_kibo_window_s131e010135.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-131_in_kibo_window\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-131_4_women_in_cupola_s131e010041.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-131_4_women_in_cupola\" style=\"width: 205px\"> <img decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_wilson_sts-131_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s131e010011.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_wilson_sts-131_inflight_joint_crew_photo\" style=\"width: 208px\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Stephanie D. Wilson poses in front of one of the two windows of the space station\u2019s Kibo module.  Middle: Wilson, left, posing in the Cupola with three other women astronauts during the STS-131 mission, the first time that four women flew in space at the same time. Right: Wilson, front row second from right, poses with the STS-131 and Expedition 23 crews in Kibo.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Joan E. Higginbotham<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected in the astronaut class of 1996, electrical engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/higginbotham_joan.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Joan E. Higginbotham<\/a> completed her single spaceflight in December 2006, the 13-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=o6xXv4rzSgU\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-116<\/a> mission aboard space shuttle Discovery. With Curbeam on the same crew, this marked the first time that two Black astronauts flew in space at the same time. Higginbotham operated the space station\u2019s remote manipulator system to assist in the installation of the P5 truss segment to the facility. She retired from NASA in 2007 to pursue a career in the private sector.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"289\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_higginbotham_sts-116_working_ssrms_iss014e09631.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_higginbotham_sts-116_working_ssrms\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"314\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_higginbotham_sts-116_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s116e06481.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_higginbotham_sts-116_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Joan E. Higginbotham<\/em> <em>operates the controls of the International Space Station\u2019s robotic work station in the Destiny module. Right: Higginbotham, front row to right of center, in the Destiny module with the STS-116 and Expedition 14 crews, the first time that two Black astronauts flew in space at the same time.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>B. Alvin Drew<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>After his selection by NASA as an astronaut in 2000, physicist and aeronautical engineer <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/drew_b_alvin.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">B. Alvin Drew<\/a> made his first spaceflight aboard space shuttle Endeavour in August 2007. During the 13-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=bUNmJt27SAE\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-118<\/a> mission, Drew and his six crewmates installed the S5 truss segment on the space station, transferred 5,000 pounds of science experiments and other logistics from the single Spacehab module to the station, and returned 4,000 pounds of unneeded hardware to Earth. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"287\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_drew_sts-118_transferring_human_research_samples_s118e07630.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_drew_sts-118_transferring_human_research_samples\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"325\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_drew_sts-118_inflight_joint_crew_photo_iss015e23031.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_drew_sts-118_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: B. Alvin Drew transfers equipment into the space station. Right: Drew, middle row at left, with the STS-118 and Expedition 15 crews posing in the Destiny module.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>On his second and final trip into space in February 2011, Drew returned to the space station, this time on <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=dHfdWp_8AGY\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-133<\/a>, the final flight of space shuttle Discovery. During the 13-day mission, Drew carried out two spacewalks totaling nearly 13 hours to complete a series of maintenance tasks on the station\u2019s exterior.  Engineers on the ground converted the MPLM Leonardo into a Permanent Multipurpose Module (PMM) to provide additional storage capacity for the station. Drew and his five crewmates installed the PMM on the orbital facility. They also added a third platform for holding external payloads onto the station\u2019s truss segment, and brought the Robonaut-2 humanoid robot to the orbiting laboratory. Drew currently serves as the NASA liaison to the Department of Defense at NASA Headquarters in Washington, D.C. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"295\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_drew_sts-133_working_at_robotic_work_station_s133e006707.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_drew_sts-133_working_at_robotic_work_station\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"303\" height=\"215\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_drew_sts-133_inflight_joint_crew_photo_s133e008639.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_drew_sts-133_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: B. Alvin Drew operates the space station\u2019s robotic work station in the space station\u2019s Destiny module. Right: Drew, front row at left, with his STS-133 and Expedition 26 crewmates.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Leland D. Melvin<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Chemist and former National Football League player <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/melvin_leland.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Leland D. Melvin<\/a>, selected by NASA as an astronaut in 1998, made his first spaceflight aboard the space shuttle Atlantis in February 2008, the 13-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=2sfOxZ7NfLo\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-122<\/a> mission. As a mission specialist, Melvin participated in the robotic operations to install the European Space Agency\u2019s Columbus laboratory module on the space station. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"307\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_melvin_sts-122_working_ssrms_s122e008248.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_melvin_sts-122_working\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"279\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_melvin_sts-122_inflight_joint_crew_photo_in_zvezda_s122e007069.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_melvin_sts-122_inflight_joint_crew_photo_in_zvezda\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Leland D. Melvin operates the space station\u2019s robotic work station in the Destiny module. Right: Melvin, at center in rear, during mealtime with his STS-122 and Expedition 16 crewmates in the Zvezda service module.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Melvin returned to space and to the space station in November 2009 aboard Atlantis. During the 11-day <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pRywhvhIsig&feature=emb_imp_woyt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-129<\/a> mission, the crew installed two external carriers for payloads onto the station\u2019s truss, with Melvin operating the shuttle\u2019s robotic arm. After his second and final spaceflight, NASA managers recognized Melvin\u2019s passion for engaging with students of all ages and named him associate administrator for the Office of Education at NASA Headquarters in 2010. He served in that position until his retirement from the agency in 2014. Melvin continues to promote human spaceflight and education.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 240px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_melvin_sts-129_melvin_reflected_in_lada_cover_s129e007853.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_melvin_sts-129_melvin_reflected_in_lada_cover\"> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 239px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_melvin_sts-129_inflight_joint_crew_photo_iss021e032723.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_melvin_sts-129_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"> <img decoding=\"async\" style=\"width: 143px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_melvin_nasa_portrait_as_education_aa.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_melvin_nasa_portrait_as_education_aa\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Astronaut Leland D. Melvin reflected in the lid of the Lada greenhouse in the Zvezda service module. Middle: Melvin, left of center, poses with his STS-129 and Expedition 21 crewmates. Right: Official photograph of Melvin as NASA associate administrator for the Office of Education.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Dr. Robert L. Satcher<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected by NASA in 2004 as an astronaut, orthopedic surgeon <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/sites\/default\/files\/atoms\/files\/satcher_robert.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Dr. Robert L. \u201cBobby\u201d Satcher<\/a> flew his only space mission in November 2009, an 11-day flight aboard space shuttle Atlantis. As a mission specialist on the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/watch?v=pRywhvhIsig&feature=emb_imp_woyt\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">STS-129<\/a> crew, Satcher participated in the installation of two external payload carriers onto the space station\u2019s truss, including conducting two spacewalks totaling more than 12 hours. He retired from NASA in 2011 to join The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center\u2019s orthopedic oncology department. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"313\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_satcher_sts-129_floating_in_destiny_s129e009624.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_satcher_sts-129_floating_in_destiny\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"301\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_satcher_sts-129_inflight_joint_crew_photo_iss021e032724.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_satcher_sts-129_inflight_joint_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Astronaut Dr. Robert L. \u201cBobby\u201d Satcher floats in the space station\u2019s Destiny module. Right: Satcher, second row at right, with his STS-129 and Expedition 21 crewmates.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Victor J. Glover<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>NASA selected U.S. Navy test pilot <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/victor-j-glover\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Victor J. Glover<\/a> as an astronaut in 2013. He launched in November 2020 aboard Space Exploration Technology Corporation\u2019s (SpaceX) commercial Crew Dragon Resilience spacecraft. The Crew 1 mission marked the first use of the Crew Dragon for a space station crew rotation. Glover became the first Black astronaut to join a long-duration expedition crew aboard the station, and his arrival with his three crewmates marked the first time the facility\u2019s resident crew size increased to seven people, significantly increasing the crew time available to conduct research. Glover logged 167 days in space during his mission as a member of Expedition 64 and 65. On April 3, 2023, NASA named Glover as the pilot for Artemis II, the first crewed mission on NASA\u2019s path to establishing a long-term presence at the Moon for science and exploration. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"282\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_glover_iss_64_eva69_iss064e027011.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_glover_iss_64_eva69\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"332\" height=\"220\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/bhm_glover_iss_64_inflight_crew_photo_iss064e018706.jpg\" alt=\"bhm_glover_iss_64_inflight_crew_photo\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Astronaut Victor J. Glover conducts a spacewalk during Expedition 64. Right: Glover, left, with his Expedition 64 crewmates in the Cupola module. <\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Sian H. Proctor<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Geologist Sian H. Proctor flew as one of the four crew members on the all-civilian Inspiration4 mission aboard the SpaceX Crew Dragon capsule Resilience. Proctor, the first Black woman pilot in space, carried with her a fragment of the Canyon Diablo meteorite that 50,000 years ago created the Barringer Crater in Arizona, also known as Meteor Crater. She also conducted experiments during the three-day flight in September 2021. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"303\" height=\"170\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/black_history_month_2022_79_proctor_w_meteorite_on_inspiration4_sep_2021_spacex.jpg\" alt=\"proctor_w_meteorite_on_inspiration4_sep_2021_spacex\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"305\" height=\"170\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/02\/black_history_month_2022_80_proctor_w_inspiration4_crew_on_orbit_sep_2021_spacex.jpg\" alt=\"proctor_w_inspiration4_crew_on_orbit_sep_2021_spacex\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Sian H. Proctor with a fragment of the Canyon Diablo meteorite she flew to space aboard the all-civilian Inspiration4 mission. Right: Proctor, right, with her fellow Inspiration4 crewmates.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Jessica A. Watkins<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/astronauts\/biographies\/jessica-watkins\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jessica A. Watkins<\/a>, selected for NASA\u2019s 2017 astronaut class, launched aboard Crew Dragon Freedom as part of the Crew 4 mission in April 2022, becoming the first Black woman to join a long-duration mission. Watkins, the first NASA geologist to fly in space since <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/feature\/50-years-ago-apollo-17-lights-up-the-night-sky-on-its-way-to-the-moon\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Apollo 17\u2019s Harrison H. \u201cJack\u201d Schmitt<\/a> in 1972, completed a 171-day mission aboard the space station, returning to Earth in October 2022. During her stay as a member of Expeditions 67 and 68, she conducted dozens of experiments. During the handover between Crew 4 and Crew 5, for the first time in history, five women worked in space at the same time, four aboard the International Space Station and one aboard China\u2019s Tiangong space station. Watkins remains eligible for future mission assignments.  <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"307\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_81_watkins_melfi_exp_68_iss068e016227.jpg\" alt=\"watkins_melfi_exp_68\"> <img decoding=\"async\" loading=\"lazy\" width=\"308\" height=\"205\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/black_history_month_2023_82_watkins_birthday_exp_67_may_14_2022_iss067e043368.jpg\" alt=\"watkins_birthday_exp_67_may_14_2022\"><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: Astronaut Jessica A. Watkins places biological samples into the Minus Eighty-degree Laboratory Freezer for ISS during Expedition 68. Right: Expedition 67 crew members help Watkins, center, celebrate her birthday aboard the space station.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong><em>Jeanette J. Epps<\/em><\/strong> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Selected as an astronaut in 2009, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/humans-in-space\/astronauts\/jeanette-j-epps\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noreferrer noopener\">Jeanette J. Epps<\/a> will make her first trip into space as a member of Crew 8, scheduled for launch in February 2024 aboard a SpaceX Crew Dragon. Epps and her three crewmates will join the Expedition 70 and 71 crews for a planned six-month mission aboard the space station to conduct more than 200 experiments. <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>.<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"6228\" height=\"4982\" class=\"wp-image-603642\" style=\"width: 272px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg 6228w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=300,240 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=768,614 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=1024,819 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=1536,1229 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=2048,1638 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=400,320 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=600,480 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=900,720 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=1200,960 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-83-epps-crew-8-jsc2023e070781.jpg?resize=2000,1600 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 6228px) 100vw, 6228px\" \/> <img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"3426\" height=\"2160\" class=\"wp-image-603643\" style=\"width: 345px\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg 3426w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=300,189 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=768,484 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=1024,646 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=1536,968 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=2048,1291 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=400,252 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=600,378 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=900,567 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=1200,757 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/02\/black-history-month-2024-84-epps-crew-8-training-jsc2023e066258.jpg?resize=2000,1261 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 3426px) 100vw, 3426px\" \/><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>Left: NASA astronaut Jeanette J. Epps, right, poses with her Crew 8 crewmates for the official photograph. Right: Epps, left, and her Crew 8 crewmates during a training session.<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><em>To be continued\u2026<\/em> <\/p>\n\n\n<div id=\"\" class=\"nasa-gb-align-full width-full maxw-full padding-x-3 padding-y-0 hds-module hds-module-full wp-block-nasa-blocks-related-articles\">\t\t<section class=\"hds-related-articles padding-x-0 padding-y-3 desktop:padding-top-7 desktop:padding-bottom-9\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"w-100 grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0 text-align-left\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-4\"><h2 style=\"max-width: 100%;\" class=\"width-full w-full maxw-full\">Explore More<\/h2><\/div>\n\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-row grid-container maxw-widescreen padding-0\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/people-of-nasa\/diversity-at-nasa\/missionequity\/nasa-joins-national-space-council-in-celebration-of-black-space-week\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img fetchpriority=\"high\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"200\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg 5568w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=300,200 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=768,512 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=1024,683 1024w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=1536,1024 1536w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=2048,1365 2048w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=400,267 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=600,400 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=900,600 900w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=1200,800 1200w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/50719482511-1049728744-o.jpg?resize=2000,1333 2000w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" loading=\"eager\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">2 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">NASA Joins National Space Council in Celebration of Black Space Week<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t2 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/flag-day-2024-one-small-flags-incredible-journey\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"225\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg 1000w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=300,225 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=768,576 768w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=400,300 400w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=600,450 600w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/flag-day-2024-11-us-flag-after-demo-2-mission-arrival-1.jpg?resize=900,675 900w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">7 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">Flag Day 2024 \u2013 One Small Flag\u2019s Incredible Journey<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t3 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"grid-col-12 desktop:grid-col-4 margin-bottom-4 desktop:margin-bottom-0 desktop:padding-right-3\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<a href=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/55-years-ago-manned-orbiting-laboratory-cancellation\/\" class=\"color-carbon-black\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"hds-cover-wrapper cover-hover-zoom bg-carbon-black minh-mobile\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<figure class=\"hds-media-background  \"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"300\" height=\"212\" src=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?w=300\" class=\"attachment-medium size-medium\" alt=\"\" style=\"transform: scale(1); transform-origin: 50% 50%; object-position: 50% 50%; object-fit: cover;\" block_context=\"nasa-block\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg 424w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=300,212 300w, https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/mol-cancellation-4-mol-group-1-astronauts.jpg?resize=400,283 400w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 300px) 100vw, 300px\" \/><\/figure>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"padding-right-0 desktop:padding-right-10\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"subheading margin-bottom-1\">10 min read<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"margin-bottom-1\"><h3 class=\"related-article-title\">55 Years Ago: Manned Orbiting Laboratory Cancellation<\/h3><\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"display-flex flex-align-center label related-article-label margin-bottom-1 color-carbon-60\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"display-flex flex-align-center margin-right-2\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<svg version=\"1.1\" class=\"square-2 margin-right-1\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" xmlns:xlink=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/1999\/xlink\" x=\"0px\" y=\"0px\" width=\"16px\" height=\"16px\" viewBox=\"0 0 16 16\" style=\"enable-background:new 0 0 16 16;\" xml:space=\"preserve\"><g><g><path d=\"M8,0C3.5,0-0.1,3.7,0,8.2C0.1,12.5,3.6,16,8,16c4.4,0,8-3.6,8-8C16,3.5,12.4,0,8,0z M8,15.2 C4,15.2,0.8,12,0.8,8C0.8,4,4,0.8,8,0.8c3.9,0,7.2,3.2,7.2,7.1C15.2,11.9,12,15.2,8,15.2z\"\/><path d=\"M5.6,12c0.8-0.8,1.6-1.6,2.4-2.4c0.8,0.8,1.6,1.6,2.4,2.4c0-2.7,0-5.3,0-8C8.8,4,7.2,4,5.6,4 C5.6,6.7,5.6,9.3,5.6,12z\"\/><\/g><\/g><\/svg>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span>Article<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t5 days ago\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In honor of Black History Month, we recognize the contributions of Black astronauts to our nation\u2019s space programs. Coming to NASA from a variety of backgrounds as military pilots, engineers, scientists, and physicians, these astronauts have made history-making contributions participating in space shuttle missions to perform critical tasks such as deploying and retrieving satellites, performing [...]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":324,"featured_media":181546,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nasa_hds_core_meta_l10n":"en-US","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_editor":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_article_contacts":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_topic":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_linked_locations":[],"nasa_hds_core_meta_article_related_articles":[],"hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_id":"","hds_migrate_meta_pr_release_type":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_x":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_location_y":"","nasa_hds_core_meta_gallery_images":[],"footnotes":""},"categories":[2671,12388],"news-tags":[],"internal-terms":[12664],"coauthors":[11996],"parsely":{"version":"1.1.0","meta":{"@context":"https:\/\/schema.org","@type":"NewsArticle","headline":"Honoring Black Astronauts During Black History Month 2024","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/honoring-black-astronauts-during-black-history-month-2024\/","mainEntityOfPage":{"@type":"WebPage","@id":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/honoring-black-astronauts-during-black-history-month-2024\/"},"thumbnailUrl":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/edu_srch_african_american_astronaut_puzzles.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1","image":{"@type":"ImageObject","url":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/edu_srch_african_american_astronaut_puzzles.jpg"},"articleSection":"NASA History","author":[{"@type":"Person","name":"John Uri"}],"creator":["John Uri"],"publisher":{"@type":"Organization","name":"NASA","logo":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/themes\/nasa\/assets\/images\/nasa-logo.svg"},"keywords":["People of NASA","Diversity at NASA","Mission Equity","NASA History"],"dateCreated":"2024-02-01T14:00:00Z","datePublished":"2024-02-01T14:00:00Z","dateModified":"2024-02-12T15:13:15Z"},"rendered":"<meta name=\"parsely-title\" content=\"Honoring Black Astronauts During Black History Month 2024\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-link\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/history\/honoring-black-astronauts-during-black-history-month-2024\/\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-type\" content=\"post\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-image-url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/edu_srch_african_american_astronaut_puzzles.jpg?w=150&h=150&crop=1\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-pub-date\" content=\"2024-02-01T14:00:00Z\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-section\" content=\"NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-tags\" content=\"People of NASA,Diversity at NASA,Mission Equity,NASA History\" \/>\n<meta name=\"parsely-author\" content=\"John Uri\" \/>","tracker_url":"https:\/\/cdn.parsely.com\/keys\/nasa.gov\/p.js"},"read_time":25,"time_ago":"5 months","featured_image":{"id":181546,"file":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/edu_srch_african_american_astronaut_puzzles.jpg","title":"Printable Puzzles About Black American Astronauts","alt":"Collage of astronaut portraits featuring Victor Glover, Stephanie Wilson, Jeanette Epps and Jessica Watkins","caption":""},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603440"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/324"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=603440"}],"version-history":[{"count":25,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603440\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":605378,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/603440\/revisions\/605378"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/181546"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=603440"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=603440"},{"taxonomy":"news-tags","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/news-tags?post=603440"},{"taxonomy":"internal-terms","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/internal-terms?post=603440"},{"taxonomy":"author","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.nasa.gov\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/coauthors?post=603440"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}