USAFA honors life of Col. Karol Bobko, the Academy’s first NASA astronaut

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- The Air Force community came together Friday to honor the life and legacy of Colonel Karol Bobko at the United States Air Force Academy (USAFA).

Colonel Bobko graduated from the USAFA and eventually became the academy's first-ever NASA astronaut.

"He was my smartest roommate. My uh, roommate with the greatest sense of humor, and I always loved being with Beau," Colonel Max Miller, Bobko's roommate at the Academy, said.

Bobko joined the first voyage on the shuttle Challenger in 1983 which commenced an era of space exploration that captivated the world.

In 1985, he went to space again as mission commander to deploy communication satellites.

Bobko was recognized throughout his career with three NASA space flight medals, two exceptional service medals, and six Johnson Space Center Awards.

Outside of his incredible space career, family members say Bobko was a family man. He was married to his wife for 62 years and they raised a son and daughter together.

“It's just that family has been such a solid piece of his life. I think that gave him the courage and the support to be able to do all the things that he did," Bobko's sister-in-law said. 

Colonel Bobko's final resting place is at the cemetery on USAFA.