Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. was a brave pilot and scientist who made history as the very first African American to be selected as an astronaut! His hard work helped build the Space Shuttle program. We remember him as a brilliant hero who helped open the door to the stars for everyone!
Robert was chosen for a special military space program in 1967, making him the very first African American selected as an astronaut. He was great at flying fast jets and testing new airplanes! He gathered really important information about how spaceships could glide back to Earth. Even though he sadly died in an airplane crash before he could fly to space, his work helped make the Space Shuttle possible.
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