Guion Bluford

Here’s an in-depth profile of Guion S. “Guy” Bluford, Jr.
Citation(s) provided below.

Guion Bluford – Life, Career, and Legacy

Full Name: Guion Stewart “Guy” Bluford, Jr. Date of Birth: November 22, 1942 Place of Birth: Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, U.S.

Early Life & Education

• Bluford grew up as the eldest of three sons. His father was a mechanical engineer and his mother was a special education teacher.

• He graduated from Overbrook Senior High School in Philadelphia in 1960.

• He went on to earn a Bachelor of Science in Aerospace Engineering from Pennsylvania State University in 1964 (through the Air Force ROTC program)

• He later completed a Master of Science (1974) and a Ph.D. in Aerospace Engineering with a minor in laser physics (1978) at the Air Force Institute of Technology (AFIT)

• In 1987, Bluford earned an MBA from the University of Houston–Clear Lake.

Military Service & Early Career

• Upon completing his bachelor’s degree, Bluford entered active duty in the United States Air Force and trained as a fighter pilot.

• He flew 144 combat missions in the Vietnam War as an F-4C pilot, including missions over North Vietnam.

• Later, he served as a T-38 instructor pilot at Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, training American and West German pilots.

• He also worked at the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory (Wright-Patterson AFB), serving in roles like Deputy for Advanced Concepts and Branch Chief in Aerodynamics & Airframe divisions.

NASA Career & Space Missions

• Bluford was selected as one of 35 astronaut candidates in NASA’s 1978 selection (from among many thousands of applicants).

• He officially became a NASA astronaut in August 1979.

• In 1983, Bluford made history aboard STS-8 (Space Shuttle Challenger) as the first African American to travel into space.

  • That mission deployed the Indian satellite INSAT-1B, operated the Canadarm robotic arm, and conducted biophysiological experiments.

• Bluford flew three more space missions:

  1. STS-61A (1985) — Spacelab D-1 mission with more than 70 experiments

  2. STS-39 (1991) — Unclassified Department of Defense experiments plus Earth and shuttle environment studies

  3. STS-53 (1992) — Last shuttle mission devoted to DOD payloads

• Over his four flights, Bluford spent a total of more than 28 days in space (? 688 hours)

Later Career & Influence

• In 1993, Bluford retired from both NASA and the U.S. Air Force to move into engineering leadership roles in private industry.

• He served as Vice President / General Manager of the Engineering Services Division at NYMA Inc.

• Later, he held executive positions in aerospace sector companies and led research efforts in aeropropulsion, satellite systems, microgravity, and advanced materials.

• Bluford has been inducted into several halls of fame: International Space Hall of Fame (1997) U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame (2010)

Legacy & Significance

• Bluford’s flight aboard STS-8 established a powerful precedent: he broke racial barriers in spaceflight, becoming a role model for African Americans and underrepresented communities in STEM and aerospace.

• His technical, military, and space careers reflect a rare blend of scientific rigor, operational excellence, and historic firsts.

• The “Bluford Series” of young adult novels is named in his honor—part of a literacy initiative referencing him as an inspiration for youth.

Selected Quotes

“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.” “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.”

Citation:

• Britannica © Encyclopedia Britannica — Guion Bluford

• NASA Biographical Data (Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center)

• The HistoryMakers — Guion Bluford