Ronald McNair
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| Ronald Ervin McNair | |
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| NASA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | American |
| Born | October 21, 1950 Lake City, South Carolina |
| Died | January 28, 1986 (aged 35) Cape Canaveral, Florida |
| Other occupation | Physicist |
| Space time | 7d 23h 15m |
| Selection | 1978 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-41-B, STS-51-L |
| Mission insignia |
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Ronald Ervin McNair, Ph.D. (October 21, 1950 – January 28, 1986) was an American physicist and NASA astronaut. McNair perished during the launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger on mission STS-51-L.
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[edit] Biography
A native of Lake City, South Carolina, McNair received a B.S. in physics from North Carolina A&T State University in 1971, and a Ph.D. in the same discipline from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) in 1977. He was also honored with honorary doctorates in 1978, 1980 and 1984.
He was a fifth-degree black belt karate instructor and had won five regional championships. Among many other studies in the field of physics, McNair had conducted research on the scientific foundations of the martial arts. Additionally, he was a member of Omega Psi Phi fraternity.
After graduation from MIT, he became a staff physicist at the Hughes Research Laboratories in Malibu, California.
During the 1970s, actress Nichelle Nichols of Star Trek fame was employed by NASA to recruit minority candidates for the space program. McNair was chosen for the process, selected for the astronaut program in 1978, and flew on a Challenger mission in February 1984 as a mission specialist.
McNair was a saxophonist; before the mission he worked with composer Jean Michel Jarre on a piece of music, Rendez-vous VI. It was intended that he would record his saxophone solo on board Challenger, making it the first piece of music played in space. After the disaster, the piece was renamed Ron's Piece.
[edit] Film and theater
McNair was portrayed by Joe Morton in the 1990 TV movie Challenger. There is a one man show about his life titled Black Eagle.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- McNair Foundation to encourage and mentor science, mathematics and technology students
- Spacefacts biography of Ronald McNair
- Ronald E. McNair Post - Baccalaureate Achievement Program
- Ronald McNair at Find A Grave
- Ronald McNair at Find A Grave
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| Persondata | |
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| NAME | McNair, Ronald |
| ALTERNATIVE NAMES | McNair, Ronald Ervin |
| SHORT DESCRIPTION | Physicist, astronaut |
| DATE OF BIRTH | October 21, 1950 |
| PLACE OF BIRTH | Lake City, South Carolina |
| DATE OF DEATH | January 28, 1986 |
| PLACE OF DEATH | Cape Canaveral, Florida |
