The "Challenger" astronaut Ron McNair (1951-1986) and Governor Richard Riley during a joint session of the South Carolina legislature in the House Chambers on April 11, 1984. McNair, an Air Force lieutenant colonel, became a mission specialist in the manned space program after earning a Ph.D. in physics, with a specialization in laser technology. He was a member of the crew of the ill-fated "Challenger" space shuttle mission, which exploded after launch in 1986.
Courtesy of the South Carolina State Museum.
