Charles D. Gemar (b. 1955) — Biography & Facts

Charles D. Gemar became the first astronaut born in the state of South Dakota, establishing a career that spanned three Space Shuttle missions and over 581 hours of orbit. A career military officer and engineer, he transitioned from army aviation to the National Aeronautics and Space Administration, logging 385 orbits around the Earth.

Military Foundation and Training

Gemar entered the U.S. Army in January 1973 after completing his secondary education at Scotland Public High School. His early service included assignments at Fort Bragg with the XVIII Airborne Corps. He secured a nomination to the U.S. Military Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in engineering in 1979. Further technical preparation included the Infantry Officers Basic Course and specialized flight training at Fort Rucker, Alabama. By 1980, he was stationed at Fort Stewart, Georgia, fulfilling roles as a flight platoon leader and commander of Wright Army Airfield.

THE FREE TEST

How high is yours?

Twenty questions, eight minutes on the clock, and a percentile measured against everyone who has taken it. No sign-up.

Take the IQ test →

NASA Career and Technical Assignments

Selected as an astronaut candidate in June 1985, Gemar completed a year of evaluation before his official certification in 1986. Within NASA, he performed various technical duties including flight software testing in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory and serving as a spacecraft communicator (CAPCOM) for mission control. He also held the title of Chief of Astronaut Appearances, contributing to the management of human spaceflight operations at the Kennedy Space Center.

Space Shuttle Missions

Gemar participated in three distinct shuttle flights. His inaugural mission, STS-38, launched on November 15, 1990, on Atlantis to conduct Department of Defense operations. His second flight, STS-48 in September 1991, focused on deploying the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite using Discovery. His final mission, STS-62 aboard Columbia in March 1994, involved extensive microgravity research. This two-week flight spanned 5.8 million miles and featured a record-low orbital altitude of 105 nautical miles to facilitate scientific investigations in biotechnology and atmospheric monitoring.