Colonel Karol J. Bobko (USAF, Ret.) was a distinguished NASA astronaut and Air Force officer, born in New York City on December 23, 1937. A graduate of the U.S. Air Force Academy and holder of a master’s degree in aerospace engineering, he logged over 6,600 flight hours in various aircraft and became a NASA astronaut in 1969 after the cancellation of the Air Force’s Manned Orbiting Laboratory program. Bobko flew on three Space Shuttle missions—STS-6 (pilot), STS-51D (commander), and STS-51J (commander)—logging 386 hours in space and becoming the only astronaut to fly on the maiden flights of two shuttles, Challenger and Atlantis. He contributed to major NASA projects like Skylab SMEAT, the Apollo-Soyuz Test Project, and Shuttle Approach and Landing Tests. After retiring from NASA and the Air Force in 1988, he worked in aerospace and simulation technology leadership roles at Booz Allen, SPACEHAB, and SAIC, continuing as a consultant after 2014. His many honors include NASA’s Space Flight and Exceptional Service Medals, the Air Force Distinguished Flying Cross, and induction into the Astronaut Hall of Fame. Courtesy of NASA.