The selection of Robert Henry Lawrence as an astronaut in the United States Air Force Manned Orbital Laboratory program in June 1967 marked the first time an African-American reached this professional designation. A career military officer and pilot, Lawrence combined advanced academic research in chemistry with rigorous flight testing of unpowered spacecraft mechanisms.
Academic and Military Foundation
Born in Chicago in 1935, Lawrence attended Englewood Technical Prep Academy before enrolling at Bradley University. He graduated in 1956 with a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry. During his time at Bradley, he served as Cadet Commander in the Air Force ROTC. By age 21, he completed flight training at Malden Air Force Base in Missouri. He later served as an instructor pilot in T-33 aircraft for the German Air Force. In 1965, he completed a PhD in physical chemistry at Ohio State University, focusing his doctoral thesis on the mechanisms of tritium beta ray induced exchange reactions.
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Lawrence served as a senior USAF pilot, logging over 2,500 flight hours, including 2,000 hours in jets. His testing work involved the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter to examine the gliding characteristics of unpowered spacecraft returning to Earth. NASA utilized his flight maneuver data to support the development of the Space Shuttle. In June 1967, he completed the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, shortly before his selection for the Manned Orbital Laboratory program.
Death and Commemoration
On December 8, 1967, Lawrence died during a training flight at Edwards Air Force Base at the age of 32. Serving as the instructor pilot in the backseat of an F-104, he was killed when the aircraft crashed during a steep-descent glide maneuver. He is buried at Graceland Cemetery. Decades later, his contributions were formally acknowledged through various honors, including the inclusion of his name on the Space Mirror Memorial in 1997 and the naming of an asteroid, Robertlawrence 92892, in 2020.
Fast facts
- Born: 1935, Chicago
- Died: 1967, Edwards Air Force Base
- Education: Bradley University; Ohio State University
- Role: Astronaut, military officer, aircraft pilot
- Final Rank/Role: Senior USAF pilot
- Burial: Graceland Cemetery
Questions readers ask
What was Lawrence's specific contribution to the Space Shuttle program?
He performed test flights in the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter, providing data on unpowered spacecraft gliding maneuvers that helped inform Space Shuttle development.
Did Lawrence ever fly in space?
No. He was selected for the Manned Orbital Laboratory program in 1967 but died in a plane crash at Edwards Air Force Base later that same year.
Achievements
- Educated at Ohio State University, Bradley University and U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School
- Worked as military officer, astronaut and aircraft pilot
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