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Gregory Jarvis | |
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_cropped.jpg) Jarvis in 1985 | |
| Born | Gregory Bruce Jarvis (1944-08-24)August 24, 1944 Detroit, Michigan, U.S. |
| Died | January 28, 1986(1986-01-28) (aged 41) North Atlantic Ocean |
| Cause of death | Space ShuttleChallenger disaster |
| Education | University at Buffalo (BS) Northeastern University (MS) West Coast University |
| Awards | Congressional Space Medal of Honor |
| Space career | |
| Hughes Aircraftpayload specialist | |
| Rank | Captain,USAF |
| Missions | STS-51-L |
Mission insignia |  |
Gregory Bruce Jarvis (August 24, 1944 – January 28, 1986) was an Americanengineer and astronaut whodied during the January 28, 1986 destruction of theSpace ShuttleChallenger on missionSTS-51-L, where he was serving aspayload specialist forHughes Aircraft.
Jarvis graduated from Mohawk Central High School (later renamed to Gregory B. Jarvis High School, which eventually became the Gregory B. Jarvis Middle School in his honor), inMohawk, New York, in 1962. He received aBachelor of Science degree inelectrical engineering from theState University of New York at Buffalo in 1967, and aMaster of Science degree in the same discipline fromNortheastern University two years later.[1] Jarvis joined theUnited States Air Force the same year and served until 1973, when he washonorably discharged as aCaptain. Thereafter, Jarvis worked for Hughes Aircraft.
In June 1984, Jarvis was one of two Hughes Aircraft employees selected as candidates for theSpace Shuttle program.[2] He planned to conduct experiments regarding the effects ofweightlessness onfluids. Jarvis was initially scheduled to make his shuttle flight in April 1985, but Jarvis was replaced on that flight byU.S. senatorJake Garn. Jarvis' flight was rescheduled for early January 1986, but he was again replaced – this time byU.S. representativeBill Nelson.[1][2]
Jarvis was payload specialist 2 onSTS-51-L which was launched from theKennedy Space Center,Florida, at 11:38:00 EST on January 28, 1986. The crew on board the OrbiterChallenger included CommanderDick Scobee, pilotMichael J. Smith (USN), mission specialists Dr.Ronald McNair, Lt. Col.Ellison Onizuka (USAF), Dr.Judith Resnik, and fellow civilian payload specialistChrista McAuliffe. The entire STS-51-L crew died whenChallenger broke up during launch.[citation needed]
The remains of all seven astronauts from theChallenger disaster were discovered in the crew decks on the ocean floor. Jarvis' body was discovered in the lower mid-deck along with McNair and McAuliffe. During salvage operations to raise the crew deck from the ocean floor, Jarvis' body escaped from the wreckage, floated to the surface, and disappeared back into the sea. On April 15, 1986, on the last scheduled attempt to recover wreckage, his body was rediscovered and returned to shore.[3][4] Jarvis was cremated and his ashes scattered in thePacific Ocean.[citation needed]
The East Engineering building onUniversity at Buffalo (SUNY) north campus was renamed Jarvis Hall after Jarvis' death. In Spring 1986, when the university had not yet named the building in his memory, four students scaled the side of the building and nailed a sign with the name "Jarvis Hall" onto the side of the building as a show of support for the deceased astronaut. The four students were Space Mann, Little Jeffrey Brenner, Keith "Vedge" Tannenbaum and Joseph "Sneetch" Kuperberg. In 1987, the name was made official with a dedication ceremony. Jarvis Hall is devoted largely toAerospace Engineering and engineering support services.[5]
In 1988, acrater on Earth'smoon was named forJarvis.[6]
Mohawk Central High School in Mohawk, New York was renamed Gregory B. Jarvis Jr/Sr High School. It is now the Gregory B. Jarvis Middle School of the Central Valley Central School District.[citation needed]
A sculpture by SUNY at Buffalo faculty member emeritusTony Paterson entitled "Jarvis Memorial" was commissioned by SUNY at Buffalo to honor Jarvis and is currently in the SUNY at Buffalo art collection.[7]
Jarvis was portrayed byRichard Jenkins in the 1990 TV movieChallenger.
In 2004, Jarvis was posthumously awarded theCongressional Space Medal of Honor.[citation needed]
Thehydropower-producing dam on Hinckley Lake, New York, operated by the New York Power Authority, is named the Gregory B. Jarvis Dam.[citation needed]
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