Lt. Colonel Ellison S. Onizuka Autographs, Memorabilia & Collectibles
LT. COLONEL ELLISON S. ONIZUKA
Born: June 24, 1946 in Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii
Died: January 28, 1986 in Cape Canaveral, Florida
Died: January 28, 1986 in Cape Canaveral, Florida
Ellison S. Onizuka (Colonel, U.S. Air Force)
NASA Astronaut (Deceased)
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 24, 1946, in Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii. Died January 28, 1986. He is survived by his wife, Lorna, and two daughters. He enjoyed running, hunting, fishing, and indoor/outdoor sports.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Konawaena High School, Kealakekua, Hawaii, in 1964; received bachelor and master of science degrees in Aerospace Engineering in June and December 1969, respectively, from the University of Colorado.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers, the Air Force Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Tau, and the Triangle Fraternity.
AWARDS / PROMOTIONS: Posthumously promoted to the rank of Colonel. Posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
SPECIAL HONORS: Presented the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, and National Defense Service Medal.
EXPERIENCE: Onizuka entered on active duty with the United States Air Force in January 1970 after receiving his commission at the University of Colorado through the 4-year ROTC program as a distinguished military graduate. As an aerospace flight test engineer with the Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base, California, he participated in flight test programs and systems safety engineering for the F-84, F-100, F-105, F-111, EC-121T, T-33, T-39, T-28, and A-1 aircraft. He attended the USAF Test Pilot School from August 1974 to July 1975, receiving formal academic and flying instruction in performance, stability and control, and systems flight testing of aircraft. In July 1975, he was assigned to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, serving on the USAF Test Pilot School staff initially as squadron flight test engineer and later as chief of the engineering support section in the training resources branch. His duties involved instruction of USAF Test Pilot School curriculum courses and management of all flight test modifications to general support fleet aircraft (A-7, A-37, T-38, F-4, T-33, and NKC-135) used by the test pilot school and the flight test center. He has logged more than 1,700 hours flying time.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978, he completed a 1-year training and evaluation period in August 1979. He subsequently worked on orbiter test and checkout teams and launch support crews at the Kennedy Space Center for STS-1 and STS-2. He worked on software test and checkout crew at the Shuttle Avionics and Integration Laboratory (SAIL), and has supported numerous other technical assignments ranging from astronaut crew equipment/orbiter crew compartment coordinator to systems and payload development.
He first flew as a mission specialist on STS 51-C, the first Space Shuttle Department of Defense mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on January 24, 1985. He was accompanied by Captain Thomas K. Mattingly (spacecraft commander), Colonel Loren J. Shriver (pilot), fellow mission specialist, Colonel James F. Buchli, and Lieutenant Colonel Gary E. Payton (DOD payload specialist). During the mission Onizuka was responsible for the primary payload activities, which included the deployment of a modified Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). STS 51-C Discovery completed 48 orbits of the Earth before landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on January 27, 1985. With the completion of this flight he logged a total of 74 hours in space.
Colonel Onizuka was a mission specialist on STS 51-L which was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:38:00 EST on January 28, 1986. The crew on board the Orbiter Challenger included the spacecraft commander, Mr. F.R. Scobee, the pilot, Commander M.J. Smith (USN), fellow mission specialists, Dr. R.E. McNair, and Dr. J.A. Resnik, as well as two civilian payload specialists, Mr. G.B. Jarvis and Mrs. S. C. McAuliffe. The STS 51-L crew died on January 28, 1986 when Challenger exploded 1 min. 13 sec. after launch.
NASA Astronaut (Deceased)
PERSONAL DATA: Born June 24, 1946, in Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii. Died January 28, 1986. He is survived by his wife, Lorna, and two daughters. He enjoyed running, hunting, fishing, and indoor/outdoor sports.
EDUCATION: Graduated from Konawaena High School, Kealakekua, Hawaii, in 1964; received bachelor and master of science degrees in Aerospace Engineering in June and December 1969, respectively, from the University of Colorado.
ORGANIZATIONS: Member of the Society of Flight Test Engineers, the Air Force Association, the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Tau Beta Pi, Sigma Tau, and the Triangle Fraternity.
AWARDS / PROMOTIONS: Posthumously promoted to the rank of Colonel. Posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.
SPECIAL HONORS: Presented the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organizational Excellence Award, and National Defense Service Medal.
EXPERIENCE: Onizuka entered on active duty with the United States Air Force in January 1970 after receiving his commission at the University of Colorado through the 4-year ROTC program as a distinguished military graduate. As an aerospace flight test engineer with the Sacramento Air Logistics Center at McClellan Air Force Base, California, he participated in flight test programs and systems safety engineering for the F-84, F-100, F-105, F-111, EC-121T, T-33, T-39, T-28, and A-1 aircraft. He attended the USAF Test Pilot School from August 1974 to July 1975, receiving formal academic and flying instruction in performance, stability and control, and systems flight testing of aircraft. In July 1975, he was assigned to the Air Force Flight Test Center at Edwards Air Force Base, California, serving on the USAF Test Pilot School staff initially as squadron flight test engineer and later as chief of the engineering support section in the training resources branch. His duties involved instruction of USAF Test Pilot School curriculum courses and management of all flight test modifications to general support fleet aircraft (A-7, A-37, T-38, F-4, T-33, and NKC-135) used by the test pilot school and the flight test center. He has logged more than 1,700 hours flying time.
NASA EXPERIENCE: Selected as an astronaut candidate by NASA in January 1978, he completed a 1-year training and evaluation period in August 1979. He subsequently worked on orbiter test and checkout teams and launch support crews at the Kennedy Space Center for STS-1 and STS-2. He worked on software test and checkout crew at the Shuttle Avionics and Integration Laboratory (SAIL), and has supported numerous other technical assignments ranging from astronaut crew equipment/orbiter crew compartment coordinator to systems and payload development.
He first flew as a mission specialist on STS 51-C, the first Space Shuttle Department of Defense mission, which launched from Kennedy Space Center, Florida on January 24, 1985. He was accompanied by Captain Thomas K. Mattingly (spacecraft commander), Colonel Loren J. Shriver (pilot), fellow mission specialist, Colonel James F. Buchli, and Lieutenant Colonel Gary E. Payton (DOD payload specialist). During the mission Onizuka was responsible for the primary payload activities, which included the deployment of a modified Inertial Upper Stage (IUS). STS 51-C Discovery completed 48 orbits of the Earth before landing at Kennedy Space Center, Florida, on January 27, 1985. With the completion of this flight he logged a total of 74 hours in space.
Colonel Onizuka was a mission specialist on STS 51-L which was launched from the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, at 11:38:00 EST on January 28, 1986. The crew on board the Orbiter Challenger included the spacecraft commander, Mr. F.R. Scobee, the pilot, Commander M.J. Smith (USN), fellow mission specialists, Dr. R.E. McNair, and Dr. J.A. Resnik, as well as two civilian payload specialists, Mr. G.B. Jarvis and Mrs. S. C. McAuliffe. The STS 51-L crew died on January 28, 1986 when Challenger exploded 1 min. 13 sec. after launch.
Style
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Striking matted display of the Japanese-American engineer and astronaut killed when the Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff in 1986. Signature: "Ellison Onizuka/4-11-83", 3¼x¼. Light stains at blank areas. Fine condition. read more...Sale Price $360.00
$400.00
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OPTOMISTIC LETTER WRITTEN TWO YEARS BEFORE JAPANESE-AMERICAN ENGINEER AND ASTRONAUT ONIZUKA WAS A VICTIM IN AMERICA'S FIRST SPACE DISASTER ELLISON ONIZUKA. Autograph Letter Signed: "Ellison Onizuka", 1p, 8x11. No place, 1984 February 24. To Venessa. read more...Sale Price $1,360.00
$1,600.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a color NASA publicity photograph of the "Space Shuttle Orbiter Landing". Photograph signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka". Color, 10x8 overall, image 9½x7¼ (one surface). Captioned: "Space Shuttle Orbiter Landing read more...Sale Price $360.00
$400.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a commemorative envelope honoring Shuttle Full Duration Firing. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka/Space Shuttle Astronaut", 6½x3½. Envelope honoring the complete static firing of the shuttle. read more...Sale Price $360.00
$400.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a commemorative envelope honoring Flight Readiness Firing. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Ellison Onizuka", 6½x3½. Envelope honoring the flight readiness firing of the shuttle. read more...Sale Price $315.00
$350.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a commemorative envelope honoring Space Shuttle Orbiter 102. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka", 6½x3½. Envelope honoring the Space Shuttle Orbiter 102. Postmarked Kennedy Space Center, Florida, November 24, 1980. read more...Sale Price $315.00
$350.00
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ELLISON ONIZUKA The astronaut signs an envelope honoring the space tracking vessel Redstone. A member of the ship's crew has also signed. Commemorative Envelope signed: "Ellison Onizuka/11-28-80", 6½x3½. read more...Sale Price $315.00
$350.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE ASTRONAUTS: ELLISON ONIZUKA, JAMES VAN HOFTEN, FREDERICK GREGORY AND DAN BRANDENSTEIN Four shuttle astronauts, including one who died aboard the Challenger, sign an envelope commemorating a wind tunnel test of the launch vehicle Commemorative Envelope Signed: read more...Sale Price $360.00
$400.00
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DISCOVERY: SPACE SHUTTLE MISSION 51-C The astronauts from Discovery sign a philatelic envelope honoring Conquest of Space. Philatelic Envelope signed: "Ken Mattingly", "Loren Shriver", "Ellison Onizuka", "James F. Buchli" and "Gary Payton", 6½x3½. read more...Sale Price $405.00
$450.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a first day cover honoring Benefiting Mankind. Philatelic Envelope signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka", 6½x3½. First Day Cover bearing 18-cent read more...Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a first day cover honoring the Viking Mission to Mars. First Day Cover signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka", 6½x3½. First Day Cover honoring Viking Mission to Mars, 15-cent stamp affixed, postmarked Hampton, Virginia, July 20, 1978, FIRST DAY OF ISSUE. read more...Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a first day cover honoring the First Man on the Moon. First Day Cover signed: "Ellison Onizuka/4-10-84", 6½x3½. First Day Cover honoring read more...Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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ELLISON ONIZUKA and DAVID WALKER Both Shuttle astronauts sign a First Day Cover honoring Skylab. First Day Cover signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka", "Dave Walker", 6½x3½. FDC celebrating the Conquest of Space, 10-cent Skylab stamp affixed, postmarked May 14, 1974, FIRST DAY OF ISSUE. read more...Sale Price $315.00
$350.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a philatelic envelope honoring the space shuttle and NASA logo cancellation stamp. Philatelic Envelope signed: "Ellison Onizuka", 6½x3½. Space Cover, airmail envelope postmarked Los Angeles, Calif., July 7, 1977. read more...Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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ELLISON S. ONIZUKA Ellison Onizuka signs a special cover envelope honoring the space shuttle. Special Cover Envelope signed: "Ellison S. Onizuka/NASA Astronaut 4-1-80", 6½x3½. Rubber stamped: "Miami Stamp Expo '80 Honoring the Space Shuttle ASDA Station Miami Beach, FL 33141 January 11 1980. read more...Sale Price $270.00
$300.00
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An impressive piece, this 16x20 mounted image contains signatures from Dick Scobee and Ellison Onizuka, who perished in the tragic Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51-L mission, and also includes signatures from many other important NASA astronauts. read more...Sale Price $595.00
$700.00
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Official NASA photograph of the crew of the ill-fated Challenger mission STS-51L. Challenger exploded in midair on January 28, 1986, making it the deadliest accident in NASA history until the destruction of the Columbia in 2003. This rare photograph contains the signatures of all seven crewmembers of STS-51L, who are shown in flight suits and holding their helmets. All seven people in this photo perished in the Challenger disaster read more...Sale Price $13,600.00
$16,000.00
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This official NASA photograph is a crew photo of the ill-fated Challenger mission STS-51L, which exploded in midair on Jan. 28, 1986 and was the deadliest accident in NASA history until the destruction of the Columbia in 2003. This rare photograph contains the signatures of all seven crew members of STS-51L, who are shown in flight suits and holding their helmets. All seven people in this photo died in the Challenger disaster. Accompanied by unsigned Spaceport USA permit, commemorative envelope and patch, all honoring the Challenger mission. 4 items. read more...Sale Price $12,750.00
$15,000.00
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CHALLENGER STS-51L CREW: FRANCIS R. "DICK" SCOBEE, MICHAEL J. SMITH, RONALD E. "RON" McNAIR, ELLISON S. "EL" ONIZUKA, JUDITH A. "JUDY" RESNIK, GREG JARVIS and CHRISTA McAULIFFE The crew signed these First Day Covers, which were postmarked the day they died. read more...Sale Price $5,950.00
$7,000.00
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CHALLENGER STS-51L: FRANCIS R. "DICK" SCOBEE, MICHAEL J. SMITH, RONALD E. "RON"McNAIR, ELLISON "EL" S. ONIZUKA, JUDITH A. "JUDY" RESNIK, GREG JARVIS and CHRISTA McAULIFFE Collection framed in the Gallery of History style to 42x28. read more...Sale Price $5,950.00
$7,000.00
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Rare collection of all 7 crew members from the tragic accident, framed in the Gallery of History style to 34x24. All except Jarvis have signed on envelopes postmarked the day they died! read more...Sale Price $5,950.00
$7,000.00
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This official NASA photograph is a crew photo of the ill-fated Challenger mission STS-51L, which exploded in midair on January 28, 1986 and was the deadliest accident in NASA history until the destruction of the Columbia in 2003. This rare photograph contains the signatures of all seven crewmembers of STS-51L, who are shown in flight suits and holding their helmets read more...Sale Price $12,750.00
$15,000.00
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SPACE SHUTTLE DISCOVERY: STS-51C MISSION Commemorative Envelope signed by all five crew members: Mattingly, Shriver, Onizuka, Buchli and Payton Commemorative Envelope signed: "Ken Mattingly", "Loren Shriver", "Ellison Onizuka", "James Buchli", "Gary Payton", 6½x3½. read more...Sale Price $405.00
$450.00
