Astronaut Profile
Ronald E. McNair
Mission Specialist
Ronald McNair, a laser physicist and the second African American in space, planned to record the first music performed in orbit aboard Challenger before the mission ended in disaster.
OrbitingTruths Archive
Mission Specialist • Deceased
Biography
The person behind the mission
Ronald E. McNair was a physicist with a doctorate in laser physics from MIT who became the second African American in space aboard STS-41-B in 1984. A saxophonist, McNair had planned to record a saxophone solo during STS-51-L that would have become the first music performed in space. Instead, a failed O-ring seal caused Challenger to break apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, killing McNair and all six of his crewmates.
Astronaut Details
Born
October 21, 1950
Died
January 28, 1986
Birthplace
Lake City, South Carolina, USA
Role
Mission Specialist
Program
Space Shuttle
Time in Space
7 days, 23 hours
Missions
STS-41-B, STS-51-L
Recognition
Awards & Honors
- Congressional Space Medal of Honor
- NASA Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous)
- NASA Space Flight Medal