Ronald Erwin McNair (October 21, 1950 – January 28, 1986) was an American NASA astronaut and physicist. His first space mission was STS-41-B aboard Space Shuttle "Challenger" in 1984. After this mission, he was again on "Challenger" for STS-51-L. He died at the start of this mission when the space shuttle was destroyed during the launch. He was the second African American in space.