Onizuka, Ellison Shoji

Onizuka, Ellison Shoji, on uh zoo kah, EHL uh suhn SHOH jee (1946-1986), was the first Asian American in space and one of the seven United States astronauts killed in the 1986 Challenger disaster. On his first space flight in January 1985, Onizuka and his fellow astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery completed a secret three-day mission for the Department of Defense. The other members of the crew were James F. Buchli, Thomas K. Mattingly II, Gary E. Payton, and Loren J. Shriver.