Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

Science

Judi Lynn

(162,290 posts) Sun Jun 9, 2024, 06:03 PM Jun 2024

Ed Dwight, first African American candidate for space travel, takes off 60 years later

Posted Tue 21 May 2024 at 1:11am

In short: The US' first African American astronaut candidate Ed Dwight, 90, has flown into space for the first time.

He was in the same class as Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins in 1963.

NASA did not select black astronauts until 1978.

Ed Dwight, who 60 years ago became the United States' first black candidate for space travel, has finally taken off.

Mr Dwight was a US Air Force pilot when then-president John F Kennedy championed him as a candidate for NASA's early astronaut corps.
However, he was not picked for the 1963 class, which included eventual Gemini and Apollo astronauts, including Apollo 11's Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins.

NASA did not select black astronauts until 1978, and Guion Bluford became the first African American in space in 1983.
Three years earlier, the Soviets launched the first black astronaut, Arnaldo Tamayo Mendez, a Cuban of African descent. On Sunday, however, Mr Dwight, now 90, finally reached space.

He experienced a few minutes of weightlessness with five other passengers aboard the Blue Origin capsule as it skimmed space on a roughly 10-minute flight.

He called it "a life-changing experience".

More:
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2024-05-21/ed-dwight-americas-first-black-astronaut-candidate-finally-goes/103874616

Reply to this discussion