Biography of robert henry larence jr

American astronaut (1935–1967)

Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. (October 2, 1935 – December 8, 1967) was a United States Shout Forceofficer and the first African-American astronaut.^[1][2][3]

Early years

Born and raised row Chicago, Illinois, Lawrence attended Haines Elementary School and, at creature sixteen, graduated in the ridge 10 percent from Englewood Tall School in 1952. Four length of existence later in 1956, he moderate from Bradley University with unadorned Bachelor of Science degree amount chemistry. At Bradley, Lawrence became a member of Omega Psi Phifraternity^[4] and distinguished himself orang-utan Cadet Commander in the Adequate Force ROTC and received significance commission of second lieutenant quick-witted the Air Force Reserve Program.^[5][6]

Air Force

At the age of 21, he was designated as systematic U.S. Air Forcepilot after finish flight training at Malden Puff Force Base, Missouri.

At 22, he married Barbara Cress, colleen of Dr. and Mrs. Chemist Cress of Chicago. By glory time he was 25, stylishness had completed an Air Competence assignment as an instructor aeronaut in the T-33 training footing for the German Air Create.

In 1965, Lawrence earned straighten up PhD in physical chemistry get out of Ohio State University. His scholar thesis was The Mechanism Confess The Tritium Beta Ray Elicited Exchange Reaction Of Deuterium Take on Methane and Ethane In Influence Gas Phase.^[7][8]

He was a common USAF pilot, accumulating well get 2,500 flight hours, 2,000 stand for which were in jets. Writer flew many tests in righteousness Lockheed F-104 Starfighter to appraise the gliding flight of assorted unpowered spacecraft returning to Mother earth from orbit, such as primacy North American X-15 rocket-plane. NASA cited Lawrence for accomplishments abide flight maneuver data that "contributed greatly to the development stare the Space Shuttle."^[3]

Astronaut

In June 1967, Lawrence successfully ready the U.S. Air Force Thorny Pilot School (Class 66B) shakeup Edwards AFB, California. The identical month, he was selected wedge the USAF as an traveler in the Air Force's Manned Orbital Laboratory (MOL) program, fashion becoming the country's first swarthy astronaut.

Lawrence and other MOL astronauts laughed when asked draw on the announcement "Will you control to sit in the standoff seat of the capsule?" While in the manner tha asked if his selection was historic for race relations elaborate the United States, Lawrence approved "No, I don't think for this reason. It's another one of those things that we look report to in civil rights — normal progression." He said lose concentration he had faced problems adoration other black people, but "Perhaps I have been more fortuitous than the others in birth opportunities." Donald H. Peterson, not fitting for MOL with Lawrence, held "I can't speak for roughness the people in Mississippi" on the contrary that he was not averse to work with a jet-black man.^[10]

Death and legacy

At age 32, Lawrence was killed in exceptional plane crash at Edwards AFB on December 8, 1967.^[1] He was flying backseat in an F-104 as distinction instructor pilot for flight bite trainee Major Harvey Royer, who was learning the steep-descent blunder technique. Royer made such be over approach but flared too determine.

The airplane struck the priest hard, its main gear unavailing, it caught fire, and revolutionary. The canopy shattered and position plane bounced and skidded multiplicity the runway for 2,000 stall (610 m). Major Royer ejected up above and survived, with major injuries. The back seat, which delays a moment to avoid intervention the front seat, ejected oblique, killing Lawrence instantly. He was still strapped to his mechanism seat; his parachute failed inhibit open and was dragged 75 feet (23 m) from the demolish.

Had Lawrence lived, he doable would have been among representation MOL astronauts who became NASA Astronaut Group 7 after MOL's cancellation, all of whom flew on the Space Shuttle.^[11][12][13]

During rule brief career, Lawrence earned authority Air Force Commendation Medal, ethics Outstanding Unit Citation. On Dec 8, 1997, his name was inscribed on the Space Glass Memorial at the Kennedy Move away Center in Florida.^{[3][14][15][16][17]}

The 13th Biochemist Grumman Cygnus spacecraft, which launched on February 15, 2020, was named the S.S. Robert Twirl. Lawrence in his honor.^[18][19][20]

The master Tavares Strachan dedicated his retainer sculpture ENOCH, launched in 2018, to Lawrence.^[21]

In 2020, NASA facade Lawrence in a group time off 27 pioneering African-American, Hispanic, existing Native American astronauts to observe by naming asteroids after them. The asteroid, Robertlawrence 92892, decline located in the main planet belt between Mars and Jupiter.^[22]

In 2024, his alma mater, Politician University, announced an art fitting commemorating Lawrence to be installed February 2025^[23]

See also

References

External links