Ellison Onizuka reached space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on January 24, 1985, becoming the first person of Japanese ancestry to orbit the Earth. A career military officer and engineer, he was serving as a mission specialist on the Space Shuttle Challenger when the craft was destroyed during its ascent from Cape Canaveral in 1986.
Academic and Military Foundation
Born in Kailua-Kona in 1946, Onizuka graduated from Konawaena High School in 1964. He earned both his Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the University of Colorado Boulder by 1969. In 1970, he began active duty with the United States Air Force. He served as a flight test engineer at McClellan Air Force Base, working on systems for various aircraft including the F-111 and T-38. He attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School in 1974 before working at Edwards Air Force Base.
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Selected for the astronaut program in January 1978, Onizuka spent years in technical support roles, including work on the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. His primary mission, STS-51-C, launched in 1985 as the first Department of Defense shuttle flight. He spent 74 hours in space before returning to Kennedy Space Center. In 1986, he joined the crew of STS-51-L, which ended when the Challenger ruptured 73 seconds after takeoff. He held the rank of lieutenant colonel at the time of his death.
Posthumous Recognition and Legacy
Onizuka was posthumously promoted to colonel and awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 2004. His remains are interred at the National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific and Arlington National Cemetery. Various institutions and geographical features honor his career, including the Onizuka crater on the Moon, the asteroid 3355 Onizuka, and the defunct Onizuka Air Force Station in Sunnyvale, California.
Fast facts
- Born: 1946, Kailua-Kona
- Died: 1986, Cape Canaveral
- Education: University of Colorado; U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
- Military Rank: Lieutenant Colonel
- First Flight: STS-51-C, 1985
- Final Flight: STS-51-L, 1986
- Awards: Congressional Space Medal of Honor; NASA Distinguished Service Medal
- Religious Affiliation: Buddhism
Questions readers ask
Was Onizuka the first Asian American to reach space?
Yes, he was the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese ancestry to reach space.
What evidence exists regarding the Challenger crew's final moments?
Examination of the cockpit showed that three Personal Egress Air Packs were activated, including those belonging to Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Michael J. Smith, indicating they were alive after the initial structural failure.
Achievements
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, University of Colorado and Konawaena High School
- Worked as military officer, astronaut and engineer
