Karol J. Bobko holds the distinction of being the first graduate of the United States Air Force Academy to travel in space and the only astronaut to pilot the maiden voyages of two different space shuttles. His career spanned decades of flight development, from tactical fighter aviation to commanding classified Department of Defense missions in low Earth orbit.
Military Aviation and Training
Born in 1937 in Brooklyn, New York, Bobko graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1955 before entering the United States Air Force Academy as a member of its first graduating class. After earning his degree in 1959, he completed pilot training at Bartow Air Base and Vance Air Force Base. During the early 1960s, he served as a pilot for the 523d Tactical Fighter Squadron in New Mexico and the 336th Tactical Fighter Squadron in North Carolina, flying F-100 and F-105 aircraft. He later attended the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School, logging over 6,600 hours in diverse aircraft including the F-104 and T-38.
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In 1966, Bobko joined the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program. Following its cancellation, he transitioned to NASA in 1969 as part of Astronaut Group 7. His preparation for orbital flight included the Skylab Medical Experiment Altitude Test, a 56-day ground simulation, and service on the support crew for the Apollo–Soyuz Test Project. Before his own missions, he served as lead astronaut for the STS-1 test and checkout group at Kennedy Space Center and functioned as a chase pilot for the Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests.
Shuttle Missions
Bobko flew three shuttle missions, logging 386 total hours in space. As pilot for STS-6 in 1983, he participated in the inaugural flight of Challenger, which included the deployment of the TDRS-1 satellite and the first space shuttle extravehicular activity. He subsequently commanded STS-51-D on Discovery in 1985, which involved an unscheduled spacewalk to repair a malfunctioning satellite. His final mission, STS-51-J, marked the first flight of Atlantis and focused on classified Department of Defense objectives.
Post-NASA Career and Final Years
Upon retiring from NASA and the Air Force in 1988, Bobko joined Booz Allen Hamilton to manage human space flight programs, including simulation and spacecraft checkout. He later served as Vice President for Strategic Programs at Astrotech Corporation and worked as a program manager at Leidos. He passed away in Half Moon Bay in 2023. His honors include the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Legion of Merit, and induction into the U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame.
Fast facts
- Born: 1937, Brooklyn
- Died: 2023, Half Moon Bay
- Military Rank: Colonel
- Education: U.S. Air Force Academy, USC
- Space Shuttle Missions: STS-6, STS-51-D, STS-51-J
- Career Employers: NASA, Booz Allen Hamilton, Astrotech, Leidos
Questions readers ask
What unique record did Karol J. Bobko hold regarding space shuttles?
He was the first person to fly on three different space shuttles and the only astronaut to fly on the maiden flights of two separate shuttle orbiters.
Which military programs did he serve in before joining NASA?
He served as a tactical fighter pilot in the Air Force and was assigned to the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program in 1966.
Achievements
- United States Astronaut Hall of Fame
- Affiliated with National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Booz Allen Hamilton and Astrotech Corporation
- Educated at University of Southern California, U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School and United States Air Force Academy
- Worked as air force officer, astronaut and military aviator
