Robert Henry Lawrence Jr.

Robert Henry Lawrence Jr.'s Death

Born (Birthday) October 2, 1935

Death Date December 8, 1967

Age of Death 32 years

Cause of Death Aviation incident

Place of Death Edwards Air Force Base, California, United States

Profession Astronaut

The astronaut Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. died at the age of 32. Here is all you want to know, and more!

Biography - A Short Wiki

The first African American astronaut, though he died tragically before traveling to space.

He was a pilot in the U.S. Air Force.

He died in the crash of a F-104 Starfighter at Edwards Air Force Base.

How did Robert Henry Lawrence Jr. die?

Death and legacy At age 32, Lawrence was killed in a plane crash at Edwards AFB on December 8, 1967. He was flying backseat in an F-104 as the instructor pilot for flight test trainee Major Harvey Royer, who was learning the steep-descent glide technique. Royer made such an approach but flared too late.