Karol Bobko, the astronaut who piloted the first voyage of the shuttle Challenger nearly three years before its tragic explosion, passed away on August 17th at his home in Half Moon Bay, California. He was 85. His son, Paul, cited complications from an unspecified degenerative nervous system disease as the cause of death.
Karol Bobko, known as Bo, joined NASA as an astronaut in 1969, but it took 14 years before he had the opportunity to venture into space. During his waiting period, he earned a master’s degree in aerospace engineering in 1970 from the University of Southern California. He also provided support and testing for several projects, including Skylab, the joint U.S.-Soviet Apollo-Soyuz mission, and the Space Shuttle program, which finally launched in 1981.
Bobko’s patience paid off when he piloted the inaugural flight of the Challenger on April 4, 1983. During this mission, the crew deployed a communications satellite and conducted the shuttle program’s first-ever spacewalk. His role included ensuring astronauts’ suits provided power, atmosphere, communications, and meteoroid protection. This achievement led to Bobko being celebrated as the first native of New York City to orbit the Earth.
Subsequently, Bobko commanded two more shuttle missions. In 1985, as the commander of Discovery, the crew deployed a communications satellite. He went on to command the shuttle Atlantis on its maiden flight in October 1985.
Born on December 23, 1937, in Manhattan, Karol Bobko grew up in Queens before moving to Seaford, Long Island, at the age of 13. He attended Brooklyn Technical High School, where he studied aerospace and engineering and graduated in 1955. Four years later, he joined the inaugural class of the United States Air Force Academy.
Bobko’s journey to space faced numerous delays, including the cancellation of the Air Force’s Manned Operating Laboratory project, which he initially joined in 1966. However, as part of the laboratory, Bobko was among the astronauts transferred to NASA. During this waiting period, he contributed to various space projects.
His dedication to space exploration led him to work with Soviet cosmonauts during the Apollo-Soyuz project, despite Cold War tensions. Bobko remained committed to the space program and contributed significantly to the shuttle’s approach and landing tests.
He retired from NASA and the Air Force in 1988, later working with consulting firms like Booz Allen Hamilton and technology companies such as SAIC. Bobko witnessed the final launch of the shuttle program in 2011 and reflected on his role in the early days of space exploration.
Karol Bobko is survived by his wife, Dianne (Welsh) Bobko; his daughter, Michelle Bobko; a grandson; and his brother, Peter. His passing marks the end of an era in space exploration, but his contributions to the field will be remembered and celebrated.
Sources: AirGuide Business airguide.info, msn.com, NASA, NY Times
