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CHALLENGER Space Shuttle disaster hero and Mission Specialist ELLISON ONIZUKA boldly signed official NASA color Space Shuttle photograph. Onizuka inscribes the photo, "To Larry Huston – Best Wishes! Ellison Onizuka" in bold black marker.
ELLISON ONIZUKA * PSA * Challenger Disaster STS 51-L Autograph Photo Signed NASA
$350.00
Guaranteed Authentic
STS-51-L CHALLENGER DISASTER ASTRONAUT ELLISON ONIZUKA SIGNED SPACE SHUTTLE PHOTOGRAPH
The press caption on back of the vintage 1978 NASA photograph indicates that "ELLISON S. ONIZUKA, one of the group of thirty-five astronaut candidates selected by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration in January 1978. Astronaut candidate Onizuka, a U.S. Air Force captain, was born on June 24, 1946 in Kealakeua, Kona, Hawaii."
Onizuka was an American astronaut, engineer and U.S. Air Force flight test engineer from Kealakeua, Hawaii who successfully flew into space with the Space Shuttle Discovery on STS-51-C. He died in the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger, on which he was serving as Mission Specialist for mission STS-51-L. Onizuka was the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese ancestry to reach space.
The Onizuka signed portrait has been thoroughly reviewed and CERTIFIED AUTHENTIC BY PSA/DNA AUTHENTICATION SERVICES EXPERT EXAMINATION and encapsulated using PSA/DNA’s proprietary sonically-sealed technology – your assurance of absolute authenticity. UNCONDITIONALLY GUARANTEED GENUINE – quite simply an extraordinary, museum-quality memento of one of NASA’s most courageous astronauts.
In near fine condition as shown with slight rubbing to the "L" in "Larry", minor stains to back consistent with age, use, handling and display. Photograph measures appx. 8" x 10" inside an overall 10" x 13" encapsulate.
NOTE: several examples of "Newton's Ring" appear on the reverse side of the encapsulate (the rings that look like little air bubbles trapped inside) – a harmless byproduct of the slabbing process, not affecting the signature or photo.
Sold as is, as shown.