John Blaha

Blaha retired from NASA in September 1997 to return to his hometown of San Antonio, where he joined the Executive Management Group of the United Services Automobile Association.

Blaha studied Russian during 1994 at the Defense Language Institute in Monterey, California, and continued to an intensive training program at the Cosmonaut Training Center, Star City, Russia in 1995. During the launch STS-79 (September 16, 1996), he transferred to the Mir Space Station, where he spent 4 months with the Mir 22 Cosmonaut crew conducting material science, fluid science, and life science research. Blaha returned to Earth aboard STS-81 on January 22, 1997.

Selected as an astronaut in May 1980, Blaha logged 161 days in space on 5 space missions. He served as pilot on the shuttles STS-33 and STS 29, was Spacecraft Commander on STS-58 and STS-43, served on Mir-22 as Board Engineer 2, and was a Mission Specialist on STS-79 and STS-81.

Graduated from Granby High School in Norfolk, Virginia, in 1960; received a bachelor of science in engineering science from the United States Air Force Academy in 1965 and a master of science in astronautical engineering from Purdue University in 1966.