About Us

Gregory Jarvis
Payload Specialist Astronaut

Greg Jarvis was selected as a Payload Specialist astronaut candidate in July 1984. He was selected from over 600 engineer applicants from Hughes Aircraft. After his initial launch date was delayed twice, he reentered training in November 1985, and prepared to fly the STS 51-L mission.

His duties on Challenger 51-L were to conduct fluid dynamics experiments that would have tested the reactions of satellite propellants to various shuttle maneuvers and simulated spacecraft movements. Greg entered the Air Force in July 1969, as a second lieutenant assigned to the space division in El Segundo, California.

After leaving active duty in 1973 with the rank of captain, he joined the Hughes Aircraft Space and Communications group as a communications subsystem engineer. In 1982, he was named assistant spacecraft system engineering manager.

He graduated from State University of New York in Buffalo in 1967 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering. In 1969, Greg earned his Master's degree in Electrical Engineering from Northeastern University in Boston.

In an interview prior to his mission, he spoke about some of his other interests: "I'm an avid squash player; it's an outlet for me. I'm a bicycle rider. I like that, and I like to run and jog. When the winter season comes, I like to go to the mountains and do cross country skiing. So we're outdoors people. I'm pretty much a workaholic so I don't find much time to do many other things. I take one course a semester at the local community college just to keep my brain active. I enjoy playing the classical guitar if I can get a chance to sit down and plunk away at it."

Greg Jarvis was born on August 24, 1944, in Detroit, Michigan. He is survived by his wife, the former Marcia G. Jarboe.

Additional Information

Read Gregory Jarvis' official NASA biography.