Karol J. Bobko

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Bo Bobko
USAF MOL Group 2 (1966)
  • NASA Group 7 (1969)
    • MissionsSTS-6
    STS-51-D
    STS-51-J
    Mission insignia
    RetirementJanuary 1, 1989

    Karol Joseph "Bo" Bobko (December 23, 1937 – August 17, 2023) was an American

    aerospace engineer, U.S. Air Force officer, test pilot, and a USAF and NASA astronaut. Bobko was the first graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy to travel in space and the first person to fly on a space shuttle on three different missions: STS-6, STS-51-D, STS-51-J
    .

    Early life and education

    Lithuanian roots.[2][3][4] He graduated from Brooklyn Technical High School in 1955 before receiving a Bachelor of Science degree from the United States Air Force Academy in 1959. In 1970, he earned a Master of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Southern California.[5]

    Military service

    Bobko was a member of the first graduating class of the U.S. Air Force Academy.

    Bartow Air Base, Florida, and Vance Air Force Base, Oklahoma. He completed his flight training and received his pilot wings in 1960.[2]

    From 1961 to 1965, he flew

    Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base, California, and was assigned as an astronaut to the USAF Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program in 1966.[6][7]

    Bobko logged over 6,600 hours flight time in the F-100,

    T-38, and other aircraft.[2]

    NASA career

    Bobko became part of NASA Astronaut Group 7 in September 1969 after the cancellation of the Manned Orbiting Laboratory (MOL) program. He was a crewmember on the highly successful Skylab Medical Experiment Altitude Test (SMEAT) – a 56-day ground simulation of the Skylab mission, enabling crewmen to collect medical experiments baseline data and evaluate equipment, operations and procedures.[6]

    Bobko was a member of the astronaut support crew for the

    CAPCOM and prime chase pilot during these Approach and Landing Test (ALT) flights.[2]

    In preparation for the first flight of Columbia (STS-1) Bobko served as the lead astronaut in the test and checkout group at Kennedy Space Center.[2]

    A veteran of three space flights, Bobko logged a total of 386 hours in

    US Air Force Academy to travel in space and the first astronaut to fly on three different shuttle missions.[8] He was the pilot on STS-6 (April 4–9, 1983); and was the mission commander on STS-51-D (April 12–19, 1985) and STS-51-J (October 3–7, 1985).[2]

    Spaceflight experience

    Main article: STS-6
    Bobko with fellow astronaut Paul J. Weitz (left) during training for STS-6

    Bobko was pilot for STS-6, which launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida, on April 4, 1983. During the maiden voyage of

    spacewalk (EVA) and additionally conducted numerous other experiments in materials processing and the recording of lightning activities from space.[6] There were also three Getaway Specials activated on the flight. After 120 hours of orbital operations, Challenger landed on the concrete runway at Edwards Air Force Base in California, on April 9, 1983.[9]

    Main article: STS-51-D
    Bobko with U.S. Senator Jake Garn (left) during the STS-51-D mission

    On his second mission, Bobko was the commander of

    rendezvous and operations with the remote manipulator arm.[6] After 168 hours of orbital operations, Discovery landed on Runway 33 at Kennedy Space Center on April 19, 1985.[10]

    Main article: STS-51-J

    Bobko's final flight was as commander of STS-51-J, the second Space Shuttle Department of Defense mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center on October 3, 1985.[6] This mission carried classified payloads for the Department of Defense and was the second time that a Shuttle mission was used solely for Department of Defense activities.[6] This was the maiden voyage of Atlantis. After 98 hours of orbital operations, Atlantis landed on Edwards Air Force Base Lakebed Runway 23 on October 7, 1985. Bobko became the first person to fly on three different Space Shuttles.[11] He was the only astronaut to have flown on the maiden flights of two Space Shuttles.[12]

    Post-NASA career

    In 1988, Bobko retired from NASA and the Air Force to join the firm of

    Houston, Texas.[6] At Booz Allen he was a principal and managed efforts dealing with human space flight. His areas of emphasis were: high performance training simulation, hardware and software systems engineering, spacecraft checkout and testing, space station development and program integration.[2]

    In 2000, Bobko joined

    SPACEHAB, Inc. in Houston, Texas, where he was Vice President for Strategic Programs.[6] He led an organization that develops concepts, processes and hardware for future spaceflight applications.[2] In 2005, Bobko joined Science Applications International Corporation (SAIC) as Program Manager for the NASA Ames Research Center Simulation Laboratories (SimLabs) contract.[6]

    Personal life and death

    Bobko was married to F. Dianne Welsh and had a daughter and a son.[2] He resided with his wife in Half Moon Bay, California.[12]

    Bobko died of complications of an unspecified

    Half Moon Bay on August 17, 2023, at age 85.[13][12][14]

    Awards and honors

    See also

    References

    1. ^ "MEN IN THE NEWS: PAUL J. WEITZ". New York Times. April 5, 1983. Retrieved February 8, 2019.
    2. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l "KAROL J. BOBKO (COLONEL, USAF, RET.) NASA ASTRONAUT (FORMER)" (PDF). NASA. January 2020. Retrieved January 9, 2021.
    3. ^ Lecture of NASA Astronaut Karol J. Bobko
    4. ^ "Visit of Dr. Simon P. Worden, Director of the NASA Ames Research Center, and COL Karol J. Bobko, Former NASA Astronaut". Archived from the original on April 6, 2012. Retrieved November 15, 2011.
    5. ^ "Trojans in Space". University of Southern California. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
    6. ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Pearlman, Robert (January 13, 2011). "Shuttle Commander, Record Spacewalker Chosen for Astronaut Hall of Fame". Space.com. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
    7. ^ "The Contrails: Notable Graduates". U.S. Air Force Academy Public Affairs. April 26, 2016. Retrieved January 17, 2018.
    8. ^ "THIS IS WHY THE AIR FORCE ACADEMY IS LEADING THE WAY IN SPACE". US Air Force Academy. October 12, 2017. Archived from the original on December 11, 2018. Retrieved December 11, 2018.
    9. ^ "STS-6". NASA. November 23, 2007. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
    10. ^ "STS-51D". NASA. February 18, 2010. Retrieved January 16, 2018.
    11. ^ Blakeslee, Sandra. "Astronauts return from secret" (sic) The New York Times, October 8, 1985.
    12. ^ a b c Coast's own astronaut dies in HMB at age 85, Pacifica Tribune
    13. ISSN 0362-4331
      . Retrieved September 14, 2023.
    14. ^ "Karol 'Bo' Bobko, astronaut who flew 3 shuttle missions, dies at 85". Collect Space. August 18, 2023. Retrieved August 20, 2023.
    15. ^ a b c d e f Shayler, David; Burgess, Colin (June 19, 2017). The Last of NASA's Original Pilot Astronauts: Expanding the Space Frontier in the Late Sixties. Springer. p. 364.
    16. ^ Bleyer, Bill (May 17, 2010). "Cradle of Aviation hall of fame adds 3 inductees". Newsday. Retrieved January 8, 2018.
    17. ^ Todd Halvorson (January 11, 2011). "2 head for U.S. Astronaut Hall of Fame". Florida Today. Brevard County, Florida. Archived from the original on August 9, 2014. Retrieved January 12, 2011.
    18. ^ "SETP Fellow Classes". The Society of Experimental Test Pilots. Retrieved August 24, 2023.

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