John E. Blaha
John Blaha | |
---|---|
NASA astronaut | |
Rank | Colonel, USAF |
Time in space | 161d 2h 45m |
Selection | NASA Group 9 (1980) |
Missions | STS-29 STS-33 STS-43 STS-58 STS-79 (up) STS-81 (down) |
Mission insignia |
John Elmer Blaha (born August 26, 1942, in
Blaha is married to the former Brenda I. Walters of
Education
Blaha graduated from
Air Force service
Blaha received his
NASA
Selected as an astronaut in May 1980, Blaha has logged 161 days in space on five space missions.
In addition to flying five space missions, Blaha has served as the chairman, NASA Space Flight Safety Panel; weather manager, Mission Management Team; lead spacecraft communicator; member, NASA Space Shuttle Improvement Panel. Blaha also led the design, development, and integration of the Orbiter Head Up Display system. Additionally, he led the development of contingency abort procedures which significantly improve crew survivability in the event of multiple main engine failures during ascent. He has logged more than 7,000 hours of flying time in 34 different aircraft, and has written numerous technical articles on spacecraft performance and control.
Blaha retired from NASA in September 1997 to return to his hometown of San Antonio, Texas, where he joined the executive management team of the
Space flights
STS-29
STS-29 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission using the
STS-33
STS-33 was a NASA Space Shuttle mission involving the Discovery. The shuttle was launched on November 23, 1989, from Launch Complex 39B.[5]: 2.35 Blaha was chosen for this mission as a replacement for S. David Griggs, who died in an accident in June 1989. This marked the first crew substitution of its kind since the Apollo 13 mission.[5]: 2.35 The Discovery completed its mission objectives and returned to Earth, landing on November 28, 1989, at Edwards Air Force Base on Runway 22.[7]
STS-43
STS-43 was a shuttle mission aboard the
STS-58
STS-58 was a shuttle mission utilizing the
Mir
Blaha began
Blaha was not permitted to vote in the November 1996 election, because his mission on Mir began before ballots were finalized and lasted beyond Election Day.[14] In 1997, Texas amended its election statutes to permit voting from space, as a result of his predicament.[14]
Honors
- Defense Superior Service Medal[15][1]
- Legion of Merit[15][1]
- Distinguished Flying Crosses (two)[15][1]
- Defense Meritorious Service Medal[15][1]
- Meritorious Service Medals (three)[15][1]
- Air Medals (18)[15][1]
- NASA Distinguished Service Medals[15] (two)[1]
- NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal[15][1]
- NASA Exceptional Service Medal[15][1]
- NASA Space Flight Medals[15] (five)[1]
- Air Force Cross (United Kingdom)[15][1]
- Russian Order of Friendship[1]
- Purdue Outstanding Aerospace Engineer Award[1]
- Purdue Engineering Alumnus Award[15][1]
- Outstanding Pilot, F-4 Combat Crew Training[15][1]
- Outstanding Junior Officer of the Year,
- Distinguished Graduate U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School[15][1]
- Distinguished Graduate Air Command and Staff College[15][1]
- Countdown Magazine Outstanding Astronaut of 1991[15][1]
- University Roundtable Annual Best and Brightest Award[1]
- Name given to minor planet 22442 Blaha[16]
- Grand Marshal Fiesta Flambeau Parade[1]
- Grand Marshal Battle of Flowers Parade[1]
- Granby High School Hall of Fame[1]
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s t u v w x y z "John E. Blaha" (PDF). Biographical Data. Johnson Space Center: NASA. May 2008. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- ^ Reardon, Christopher; Jensen, Laurie (November 12, 1981). "Future astronaut corps include Purdue grads". Journal & Courier. Vol. 62, no. 316. p. 6. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Parrott, Jeff (February 9, 2003). "'Without a doubt, our nation has suffered a great tragedy'". Journal & Courier. Vol. 85, no. 40. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ a b Ryba, Jeanne, ed. (August 30, 2008). "STS-29". Mission Archives. NASA. Archived from the original on November 6, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Legler, Robert D.; Bennett, Floyd V. (September 2011). Space Shuttle Missions Summary (PDF) (Technical report). Johnson Space Center: NASA. TM–2011–216142. Archived (PDF) from the original on January 28, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ "Five astronauts aboard Discovery". The Times. Streator, Illinois. United Press International. March 13, 1989. p. 10. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ Ryba, Jeanne, ed. (February 18, 2010). "STS-33". Mission Archives. NASA. Archived from the original on December 6, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Ryba, Jeanne, ed. (February 18, 2010). "STS-43". Mission Archives. NASA. Archived from the original on November 8, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Space Shuttle Mission Report STS-43 (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. September 1991. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 30, 2023. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ a b Ryba, Jeanne, ed. (November 23, 2007). "STS-58". Mission Archives. NASA. Archived from the original on December 5, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ Space Shuttle Mission Report STS-58 (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. July 1994. Archived (PDF) from the original on July 5, 2022. Retrieved August 30, 2023.
- ^ Dunn, Marcia (January 23, 1997). "Forget the 'Right Stuff' — get me a stretcher!". Wisconsin State Journal. Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ STS-81 Space Shuttle Mission Report (PDF) (Technical report). NASA. March 1997. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- ^ a b Verhovek, Sam Howe (August 26, 1997). "Giant Leap for the Space Crowd: Voting". New York Times. Retrieved November 2, 2010.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q r s Parrott, Jeff (October 17, 1999). "Purdue's astronauts up close: John E. Blaha". Journal & Courier. Vol. 81, no. 290. p. 66. Archived from the original on August 31, 2023. Retrieved August 31, 2023 – via Newspapers.com.
- ^ "22442 Blaha (1996 TM9)". Small-Body Database Lookup. Jet Propulsion Laboratory. Retrieved August 31, 2023.
- Astronaut Hall of Fame. Archived from the originalon May 9, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2008.
- ^ "2008 U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame Induction". Kennedy Space Center. Archived from the original on March 15, 2008. Retrieved March 25, 2008.