Space Shuttle Astronaut Presents Lecture

The Fellows of the Graduate School of the University of Cincinnati are pleased to announce a lecture, which is free and open to the public:

The Space Shuttle and Beyond
by
Dr. Guion S. Bluford, Jr.
Astronaut on four Space Shuttle Missions
President, The Aerospace Technology Group, Cleveland, OH
4:30 p.m., Tuesday, March 18, 2003
Room 112 Lindner Hall, (College of Business Administration)

Parking:  CBA Garage or Langsam Library Garage, King and Campus Drives

Abstract
The Lecture will discuss the capabilities and limitations of flying on the Space Shuttle.  It will highlight some of the unique characteristics of flying in space based on experience on four space flights: the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983; the Spacelab flight in 1985; a Department of Defense Strategic Defense Initiative Office flight in 1991; and a classified Department of Defense flight in 1992.  The lecture will also discuss the future of the Space Station.  The current NASA activities associated with the recent Columbia mishap will be described.

Bio
Dr. Guion S. Bluford, Jr., received the BS degree in Aerospace Engineering from the Pennsylvania State University, the M.S. and Ph.D. degrees in Aerospace Engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology, and the MBA degree from the University of Houston.  He served 29 years in the United States Air Force as an Air Force tactical fighter pilot in Vietnam, instructor pilot, staff development engineer, Branch Chief of the Aerodynamics and Airframe Branch of the Air Force Flight Dynamics Laboratory and NASA Astronaut.  He has over 5,200 hours of jet flight time in ten different aircraft.  Dr. Bluford was a NASA mission specialist and payload commander astronaut on four Space Shuttle missions.  He was selected in the first class of space shuttle astronauts in 1978 and was the first African American to fly in space in 1983.  He has logged over 688 hours in space. 

Dr. Bluford is currently President of The Aerospace Technology Group (ATG), an aerospace technology and business consulting organization specializing in aviation and space-related technology development, analysis, and marketing related activities.  He serves on the Board of Directors of the U.S. Space Foundation, and the Board of Trustees of The Aerospace Corporation.  He has been a member of the National Research Council’s Aeronautics and Space Engineering Board (ASEB) and the Board of Directors of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics (AIAA).  He currently serves on the Board of Directors of the NASA Alumni League, Western Reserve Historical Society of Cleveland, the Great Lakes Science Center, and the National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation.  He has been awarded the Department of Defense’s Superior Service and three Meritorious Service Medals; the Air Force’s Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service, Commendation, and ten Air Medals; NASA’s Distinguished Service, Exceptional Service and four Space Flight Medals: the State of Pennsylvania’s Distinguished Service Medal and 13 honorary doctorate degrees.  An AIAA Fellow, he was inducted into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997.

For more information: Cheryl Morgan, (513) 556-4336.