Education and the Air Force
After college, Robert joined the United States Air Force and earned his pilot wings in 1956. He quickly proved to be an outstanding pilot, eventually logging more than 2,500 hours of flying time in many different types of aircraft. While serving as an Air Force officer, he continued his education and earned a doctorate in physical chemistry from Ohio State University at just twenty-six years old. His doctoral research involved studying how certain chemicals react when exposed to high energy, a topic that connected his love of science with his skills as a pilot. Very few people in the military had earned such an advanced degree, which was rare for anyone in the military at the time.
Becoming the First Black Astronaut
In June 1967, Robert was selected as an astronaut for the United States Air Force’s Manned Orbiting Laboratory program, a secret military space station project. This made him the first African American to be chosen as an astronaut by any program in the United States. The Manned Orbiting Laboratory was designed to send military astronauts into orbit to conduct important research and observations from space. Robert trained hard for his future mission, practicing the steep gliding landings that space vehicles would need to make when returning to Earth. His selection was a groundbreaking moment in the history of space exploration, even though it received little attention at the time.
A Tragic Loss
On December 8, 1967, just six months after being chosen as an astronaut, Robert was killed in a training accident at Edwards Air Force Base in California. He was the backseat instructor in an F-104 Starfighter jet that crashed during a practice landing approach. Robert was only thirty-two years old. His death meant that he never got the chance to fly in space, and the Manned Orbiting Laboratory program itself was canceled by the government in 1969 before any crewed missions launched. The loss of such a talented scientist, pilot, and pioneer was felt deeply by his family, friends, and fellow astronauts.
Remembering Robert Lawrence
For many years, Robert’s historic achievement as the first Black astronaut was largely forgotten by the public. It was not until 1997, thirty years after his death, that his name was finally added to the Astronaut Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, alongside the names of other astronauts who gave their lives in service to space exploration. His story has since been told in books, documentaries, and exhibits that celebrate his contributions. Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. helped open the door for future Black astronauts, including Guion Bluford, who became the first African American to reach space in 1983. Although his name was nearly forgotten for decades, his story is now recognized as an important part of space history.
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