John Anthony Llewellyn navigated two extreme frontiers, transitioning from the vacuum of space preparation to the high-pressure environment of the ocean floor. His career integrated rigorous academic research in chemical engineering with practical experience in deep-sea saturation diving, defining a professional trajectory that spanned from training with NASA in the 1960s to long-term residency in the Hydrolab underwater station.
Academic and Early Scientific Foundation
Born in Cardiff in 1933, Llewellyn completed his early schooling at Cardiff High School in 1949 before earning a BSc in 1955 and a PhD in chemistry in 1958 from University College, Cardiff. His initial post-doctoral work brought him to the National Research Council in Ottawa, Canada. By 1960, he relocated to Florida State University, where he transitioned from research associate to assistant professor, eventually holding a joint appointment in the School of Engineering Science and the Department of Chemistry by 1964.
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In August 1967, NASA selected Llewellyn as a scientist-astronaut in NASA Astronaut Group 6. He was one of only two non-American citizens chosen for this cohort at the time. His tenure with the space agency proved brief, as the training regimen required him to master jet aircraft operations. Unable to complete the flight requirements under blind cockpit conditions, he resigned from the program in September 1968.
Diving and Ocean Exploration
Before his NASA involvement, Llewellyn developed expertise in sub-surface environments under the instruction of Jacques Cousteau. He served as the training director for Florida State University's scuba program, one of the first of its kind in the United States, notably certifying E. Lee Spence in 1964. This background in underwater physics and weightlessness prepared him for his later role with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration starting in 1971. During this period, he spent nearly five years as part of a four-person crew living and working within the Hydrolab habitat on the ocean floor in the Bahamas.
Institutional Computing and Later Research
Starting in 1971, Llewellyn held the position of full professor in the Department of Chemical Engineering at the University of South Florida. He pivoted toward digital infrastructure, directing the College of Engineering's computing department and later serving as the University Director of Academic Computing. He was instrumental in establishing early courses in High-Performance Computing and distance learning. Following his retirement from the directorship in 2007, he remained Professor Emeritus, focusing his research on gene and drug delivery methods until his death on 2 July 2013.
Fast facts
- Born: 22 April 1933, Cardiff
- Died: 2 July 2013
- Citizenship: United States and United Kingdom
- Education: Cardiff High School, Cardiff University
- NASA Group: Astronaut Group 6
- Academic Tenure: Florida State University and University of South Florida
- Key Project: Hydrolab crew member
Questions readers ask
Why did Anthony Llewellyn leave the NASA astronaut program?
He resigned in September 1968 after failing to master flight training requirements, specifically the ability to operate a jet with a blacked-out cockpit.
What was his role with the Hydrolab?
He was a member of a four-person crew that lived and worked on the ocean floor in the Bahamas for nearly five years starting in 1971.
Achievements
- Recorded as explorer and astronaut
