Ronald Erwin McNair

Born: 21 October 1950, Lake City, South Carolina, United States

Nationality: American

Died: 28 January 1986 (Challenger explosion)

Group: NASA Group 8 (16 January 1978)

Status: Deceased

 

FAI Flights:
1	41-B	3 February 1984	7 days, 23 hours, 15 minutes, 55 seconds

 

Non-Qualifying Flights with Significance:
51-L	28 January 1986	73 seconds

McNair was a mission specialist on 51-L. He had a doctorate in physics from Massachusetts Institute of Technology. He also held honorary doctorates from North Carolina A&T State University (Laws), Morris College (Science), and University of South Carolina (Science). McNair held a 5th degree black belt in karate and won five regional black belt karate championships. He left a wife and two children.