Astronaut Bernard Harris on the remote manipulating system during an EVA on flight STS-63. Image: NASA.
First African-American to Walk in Space
Astronaut Bernard Harris on the remote manipulating system during an EVA on flight STS-63. Image: NASA.
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Bernard A. Harris, Jr. was the first African-American to walk in space, during the STS-63 (Discovery) mission. He was the payload commander of the 10-day mission in 1995. Dr. Harris was also part of the crew of STS-55 (Columbia) in 1993. He served as a mission specialist. Dr. Harris was born June 26, 1956, in Temple, Texas. |
He graduated from the University of Houston
with a degree in biology, and went on to receive his M.D.
from Texas Tech University.
Dr. Harris left NASA in April 1996 to become vice president of Microgravity and Life Sciences for SPACEHAB, Inc. of Houston, Texas. |