Challenger (STS-51-B) launched 1985

STS-51-B crew

First row (L-R): Robert Overmyer, Frederick Gregory

Back row (L-R): Don Lind, Taylor Wang, Norman Thagard, William Thornton, Lodewijk van den Berg

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Challenger, launched April 29, 1985, was the seventh flight of Challenger.  Its crew consisted of Commander Robert Overmyer, Pilot Frederick Gregory, Don Lind, Norman Thagard, William Thornton, Lodewijk van den Berg, and Taylor Wang.

It was the second flight of the European Space Agency's Spacelab.  Two squirrel monkeys and 24 rats in special cages accompanied the astronauts in space.

They returned to Earth May 6.

Discovery (STS-33) launched 1989

STS-33 crew

Front row (L-R): Kathryn Thornton, Frederick Gregory, Story Musgrave

Back row (L-R): Manley Carter, John Blaha

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery (STS-33), launched November 22, 1989, carried a payload for the Department of Defense into space.  Its crew consisted of Commander Frederick Gregory, Pilot John Blaha, Manley Carter, Story Musgrave and Kathryn Thornton.

David Griggs was training to be pilot on this mission but was killed while flying a vintage WWII aircraft.

They deployed a single satellite, suspected to eavesdrop on communist countries.  They returned to Earth November 28.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Frederick Gregory!

Frederick Gregory, born January 7, 1941 in Washington, DC, is a veteran of three space shuttle flights and is the first African-American to pilot a space shuttle.  He was in NASA's astronaut selection class with Ronald McNair and Guy Bluford. 

His first flight was aboard Challenger (STS-51-B) as pilot April-May 1985.  It was the second flight for the European Space Agency's Spacelab. 

His second flight was on Discovery (STS-33) as commander in November 1989.  The mission was for the Department of Defense so we know very little of what the objectives were.

Gregory's third and final flight was aboard Atlantis (STS-44) as commander November-December 1991, which was also a DoD flight.

Celebrating Black History Month - Frederick Gregory, first black Space Shuttle Pilot/Commander

Frederick Gregory is the first black man to pilot a space shuttle mission and then command one.  Born January 7, 1941 in Washington DC, he became an astronaut in 1978. 

His first flight was on Challenger (STS-51-B) in April-May 1985 as pilot, becoming the first African-American man to pilot a space shuttle.

He served as commander of Discovery (STS-33) in November 1989, becoming  the first African-American to command a shuttle mission.

His third and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-44) as commander again, November-December 1991.

Atlantis (STS-44) launched 1991

 

Left to right - Seated: Hendricks, Gregory, Musgrave; Standing: Voss, Hennen, Runco

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Atlantis launched November 24, 1991 on a mission for the Department of Defense.  Her crew consisted of Commander Frederick Gregory, Pilot Terence Henricks, Mission Specialist 1 James Voss, Mission Specialist 2 Story Musgrave, Mission Specialist 3 Mario Runco, Jr. and Payload Specialist Thomas Hennen.

They landed December 1 at Edwards Air Force Base and took over 3 miles and 107 seconds to come to a complete stop.  This was due to testing of the minimal braking system.

It was the first space shuttle landing on a dry lake bed.