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GUION S. "GUY"
BLUFORD, JR., Ph.D.
Guy Bluford, Jr., Ph.D., spent 15 years with NASA
as one of its elite astronauts. Selected to be a part of the first
class of Space Shuttle astronauts in 1978, Bluford became the first African-American
to fly in space in 1983. He also flew on a Spacelab flight in 1985
and Department of Defense missions in 1991 and 1992. Upon his retirement
from NASA in 1993, he logged over 688 hours in space and was inducted
into the International Space Hall of Fame in 1997.
Today, Bluford is actively involved in a very successful business career.
He serves as 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. Prior to joining ATG, Bluford served as Vice President
of Microgravity Research & Development and Operations for Northrop
Grumman Corporation, a global aerospace, defense, and information technology
company. He also served as Program Manager of the NASA Glenn Research
Center, Microgravity Research, Development and Operations Contract, where
he was responsible for the design, development, integration and operational
support of the NASA Fluids and Combustion Facility and space flight experiment
hardware for the International Space Station.
Dr. Bluford has also held senior management positions with both Federal
Data Corporation and NYMA, Inc. A former fighter pilot in Vietnam,
he served 29 years in the United States Air Force as a tactical fighter
pilot, instructor pilot, staff development engineer and Branch Chief of
the Aerodynamics and Airframe Branch of the Air Force Flight Dynamics
Laboratory. He has over 5,200 hours of jet flight time in
10 different aircraft.
A native of Philadelphia, Dr. Bluford holds bachelor’s, master’s
and doctorate degrees in aerospace engineering, as well as a master of
business administration. In addition, he has earned 13 honorary
doctorate degrees from universities in nine states throughout the country.
He conducts a very active civic life, serving on the Board of Directors
of the U.S. Space Foundation, the NASA Alumni League, the Western Reserve
Historical Society of Cleveland, the Great Lakes Science Center and the
National Inventors Hall of Fame Foundation. He is also a member
of the Board of Trustees of the Aerospace Corporation.
Bluford was born in 1942. He is married and resides with his wife in Ohio.
They have two grown children.