Astronaut, Military Fighter & Test Pilot, Speaker
– United States Astronaut, Retired – Pilot of STS-51B, CDR of STS-33 and STS-44, Logged ~456 hours in space
– Accomplished Pilot, both operational and testing, in both jets and helicopters
– Former NASA Deputy Administrator
– A visionary who prefers revolutionary thinking to evolutionary thinking and believes that for each new year you should accomplish something you thought impossible the year before.
– Excellent STEM, spaceflight, life preparation, speaker with humor.
– His goal in life is to have fun and make a contribution
– He is a risk taker and believes it easier to get forgiveness than permission
Speaking Points Include
– Life in Space
– Revolutionary Thinking vs. Evolutionary Thinking
– Motivational Talks with students of All Ages
– How do you prepare to become an Astronaut…or anything
For more information on booking Astronaut Fred Gregory for speaking engagements or events please contact us here
Biography
Frederick Drew Gregory, Colonel, USAF (Ret.) is a former test pilot, NASA astronaut, and NASA Deputy Administrator. He was born and raised in Washington D.C. graduating from Anacostia High School. He attended the United States Air Force Academy where he received his undergraduate degree in Military Engineering. He earned his wings after helicopter school, flew in Vietnam, transitioned to fighter aircraft, attended the Navy Test Pilot School, and then conducted testing as an engineering test pilot for both the Air Force and NASA. He received a Master’s Degree from the George Washington University in Information Systems.
During his time in the Air Force, Gregory logged more than 7,000 hours in more than 50 types of aircraft as a helicopter, fighter and test pilot. He flew 550 combat rescue missions in Vietnam.
In 1978, Gregory applied for and was chosen as a member of the first class of Space Shuttle astronauts.
Gregory became the first American with an African lineage to pilot a space craft, the orbiter Challenger on mission STS-51B. This flight was the second flight for the laboratory developed by the European Space Agency for scientific experiments on the space shuttle. The crew also deployed the Northern Utah Satellite before landing at Edwards Air Force Base. He was then the first person ever of African lineage to command any space mission with the launch of STS-33 in 1989 on the orbiter Discovery, which carried a classified payload. He then commanded STS-44 on Atlantis which in addition to deploying a Department of Defense satellite, DPS 15, also conducted extensive studies to evaluate medical countermeasures to long duration space flight.
After he left the Astronaut Office, he assumed the roles of Associate Administrator for Safety and Mission Assurance and as the Associate Administrator for Space Flight before becoming the NASA Deputy Administrator. As the leader of the agency’s human space flight program and as the Deputy Administrator, one of his biggest goals was to have humans leave low Earth orbit on a journey in which Mars was the first step.
Fred Gregory is married to Annette and is the father and grandfather of a military family and proud of it!
Organizational Involvement or Past Involvement Includes:
• Order of Daedalians
• The Air Force Association
• The Tuskegee Airmen, Inc
• Air Force Association
• United States Air Force Academy Endowment board member
• United States Air Force Association of Graduates board member
• Omega Psi Phi fraternity
• Sigma Pi Phi fraternity
• Society of Experimental Test Pilots
• American Helicopter Society
• National Aviation Hall of Fame board member
• National Museum of the Air Force trustee
• Chairman of the NASA Alumni League
• The Air Force Association
• National Technical Association
• Association of Space Explorers
• Association of Space Explorers officer and Astronaut Scholarship Foundation board member
Awards & Honors Include
• Air Force Legion of Merit
• Defense Superior Service Medal
• Distinguished Flying Cross – 3
• Defense Meritorious Service Medal
• Air Force Meritorious Service medal
• Air Medal-16
• Air Force Commendation Medal
• NASA Distinguished Service Medal – 2
• NASA Spaceflight Medal – 3
• NASA Outstanding Leadership Award – 2
• National Intelligence Medal
• Astronaut Hall of Fame
• National Society of Black Engineers Distinguished Scientist Award
• Designated an “Ira Eaker Fellow” by the Air Force Association
• Presidential Rank Award
• United States Air Force Academy Distinguished Graduate
• The George Washington University Distinguished Graduate
• Anacostia High School Hall of Fame
• Honorary Doctorates from: The University of the District of Columbia, Southwestern University, The College of Aeronautics
• The Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science President’s Medal
Visit TheHistoryMakers.org for more information on Astronaut Fred Gregory
