Ellison Onizuka

American astronaut from Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii, first Asian American to reach space, later died in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident
Person human Q349365
Ellison Onizuka
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Ellison Onizuka was a United States military officer, astronaut, and engineer[1]. Born on June 24, 1946, in Kailua-Kona[2], he was educated at Konawaena High School, the University of Colorado, and the U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School[3][1]. He worked for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration[1].

He died on January 28, 1986, at Cape Canaveral[2] and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery[4]. During his life, he received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, the NASA Distinguished Service Medal, the Eagle Scout award, and the Meritorious Service Medal[5][6].

Ellison Onizuka

Summary

Ellison Onizuka is a human[1]. His place of birth was Kailua-Kona[2]. He was born on +1946-06-24T00:00:00Z[3]. He died in Cape Canaveral[4]. He died on +1986-01-28T00:00:00Z[5]. He worked as a military officer[6], astronaut[7], and engineer[8]. He ranks in the top 0.65% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (899 views/month, #6,534 of 1,000,298).[9]

Key Facts

  • Born in Kailua-Kona[2], Ellison Onizuka…
  • Ellison Onizuka died in Cape Canaveral[4].
  • Ellison Onizuka was born on +1946-06-24T00:00:00Z[3].
  • Ellison Onizuka died on +1986-01-28T00:00:00Z[5].
  • Ellison Onizuka is buried at Arlington National Cemetery[10].
  • Burial took place at National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific[11].
  • Ellison Onizuka held citizenship in United States[12].
  • Ellison Onizuka worked as a military officer[6].
  • Ellison Onizuka's professions included astronaut[7].
  • Ellison Onizuka worked as an engineer[8].
  • Among Ellison Onizuka's employers was National Aeronautics and Space Administration[13].
  • Ellison Onizuka's education included a stint at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School[14].
  • Ellison Onizuka's education included a stint at University of Colorado[15].
  • Ellison Onizuka's education included a stint at Konawaena High School[16].
  • Ellison Onizuka received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor[17].
  • Ellison Onizuka received the NASA Distinguished Service Medal[18].
  • Ellison Onizuka received the Eagle Scout[19].
  • Ellison Onizuka received the Meritorious Service Medal[20].
  • Ellison Onizuka's religion is recorded as Buddhism[21].
  • Ellison Onizuka's image is recorded as Ellison Shoji Onizuka (NASA).jpg[22].
  • Ellison Onizuka is recorded as male[23].
  • Ellison Onizuka's instance of is recorded as human[24].
  • Ellison Onizuka's VIAF cluster ID is recorded as 252979092[25].
  • Ellison Onizuka's military branch is recorded as United States Air Force[26].
  • Ellison Onizuka's Library of Congress authority ID is recorded as n86105656[27].

Body

Origins and Family

Born in Kailua-Kona[2], Ellison Onizuka… he was born on +1946-06-24T00:00:00Z[3].

Education

Educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School[14], a flight school[28], in United States[29], founded in 1944[30]; University of Colorado[15], a university[31], in United States[32], founded in 1876[33], headquartered in Denver[34]; and Konawaena High School[16], a high school[35], in United States[36], founded in 1921[37].

Career and Affiliations

Recorded occupations include military officer[6], astronaut[7], and engineer[8]. Among Ellison Onizuka's employers was National Aeronautics and Space Administration[13].

Recognition

Awards received include Congressional Space Medal of Honor[17], a medallion[38], in United States[39], founded in 1969[40]; NASA Distinguished Service Medal[18], a medallion[41], in United States[42], founded in 1959[43]; Eagle Scout[19], an Advancement and recognition in the Boy Scouts of America[44], in United States[45], founded in 1911[46]; and Meritorious Service Medal[20], a medallion[47], in United States[48], founded in 1969[49].

Personal Life

Ellison Onizuka's religion is recorded as Buddhism[21].

Death and Burial

Ellison Onizuka died on +1986-01-28T00:00:00Z[5]. He passed away in Cape Canaveral[4]. The cause of death was Space Shuttle Challenger disaster[50]. Recorded place of burial include Arlington National Cemetery[10] and National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific[11].

Works and Contributions

Things named for Ellison Onizuka include Cygnus NG-16[51], a Cygnus Enhanced[52], in United States[53]; Onizuka Prop Wash Award[54], an award[55]; and Onizuka[56], a lunar crater[57].

Why It Matters

Ellison Onizuka ranks in the top 0.65% of human entities by monthly Wikipedia readership (899 views/month, #6,534 of 1,000,298).[9] He has Wikipedia articles in 23 language editions, a strong signal of global cultural recognition.[58] He is known by 33 alternative names across languages and contexts.[59]

Entities named for him include Cygnus NG-16[51], a Cygnus Enhanced[52], in United States[53]; Onizuka Prop Wash Award[54], an award[55]; and Onizuka[56], a lunar crater[57].

FAQs

Where was Ellison Onizuka born?

Ellison Onizuka's place of birth was Kailua-Kona[2].

Where did Ellison Onizuka die?

Ellison Onizuka passed away in Cape Canaveral[4].

What did Ellison Onizuka do for work?

Ellison Onizuka worked as military officer[6], astronaut[7], and engineer[8].

Where did Ellison Onizuka go to school?

Ellison Onizuka was educated at U.S. Air Force Test Pilot School[14], University of Colorado[15], and Konawaena High School[16].

What awards did Ellison Onizuka receive?

Honors received include Congressional Space Medal of Honor[17], NASA Distinguished Service Medal[18], Eagle Scout[19], and Meritorious Service Medal[20].

References

Programmatic citations — every numbered marker resolves to a verifiable graph row below.

Direct Wikidata claims

  1. [22] . wikidata.org.
  2. [2] . wikidata.org.
  3. [4] . wikidata.org.
  4. [23] . wikidata.org.
  5. [12] . wikidata.org.
  6. [24] . wikidata.org.
  7. [14] . colorado.edu. Retrieved . colorado.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  8. [15] . nasa.gov. Retrieved . nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  9. [16] . colorado.edu. Retrieved . colorado.edu. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  10. [6] . wikidata.org.
  11. [7] . nasa.gov. Retrieved . nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  12. [8] . wikidata.org.
  13. [13] . nasa.gov. Retrieved . nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  14. [10] . ancexplorer.army.mil. ancexplorer.army.mil. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  15. [11] . wikidata.org.
  16. [21] . wikidata.org.
  17. [17] . nasa.gov. nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  18. [18] . searchpub.nssc.nasa.gov. searchpub.nssc.nasa.gov. Provenance: wikidata.org.
  19. [19] . Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  20. [20] . wikidata.org.
  21. [25] . Virtual International Authority File. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  22. [26] . wikidata.org.
  23. [27] . wikidata.org.
  24. [50] . wikidata.org.
  25. [3] . Find a Grave. Retrieved . wikidata.org.
  26. [5] . Find a Grave. Retrieved . wikidata.org.

Inverse relationships (entities pointing at this one)

  1. [51] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [54] . wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [56] . wikidata.org. → on this site

Inline context (facts about related entities)

  1. [28] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  2. [29] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  3. [30] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  4. [31] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  5. [32] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  6. [33] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  7. [34] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  8. [35] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  9. [36] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  10. [37] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  11. [38] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  12. [39] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  13. [40] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  14. [41] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  15. [42] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  16. [43] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  17. [44] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  18. [45] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  19. [46] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  20. [47] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  21. [48] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  22. [49] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  23. [52] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  24. [53] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  25. [55] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site
  26. [57] . Wikidata. wikidata.org. → on this site

Class ancestry

  1. [1] . Wikidata. wikidata.org.

Aggregate / graph-position facts

  1. [9] . Wikimedia Foundation. dumps.wikimedia.org.
  2. [58] . Wikidata sitelinks. wikidata.org.
  3. [59] . Wikidata aliases. wikidata.org.

📑 Cite this page

Use these citations when quoting this entity in research, articles, AI prompts, or wherever provenance matters. We aggregate Wikidata + Wikipedia + authoritative open-data sources; the stitched, scored, cross-referenced view is what 4ort.xyz contributes.

APA 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph. (2026). Ellison Onizuka. Retrieved April 10, 2026, from https://4ort.xyz/entity/ellison-onizuka
MLA “Ellison Onizuka.” 4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph, 4ort.xyz, 10 Apr. 2026, https://4ort.xyz/entity/ellison-onizuka.
BibTeX @misc{4ortxyz_ellison-onizuka_2026, author = {{4ort.xyz Knowledge Graph}}, title = {{Ellison Onizuka}}, year = {2026}, url = {https://4ort.xyz/entity/ellison-onizuka}, note = {Accessed: 2026-04-10}}
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Edit History

Rolling log of changes to this entity's Wikidata record. Values shown reflect the current state of each edited property — follow the history link to see the precise diff for any edit.

  1. 29d ago · ZI Jony · 2026-05-04 view diff on Wikidata ↗
    Manner of death accidental death
    Significant event Space Shuttle Challenger disaster
    Citizenship
    Time in space {'unit': 'Q7727', 'amount': '+4413'}
    + 27 other properties edited (see Wikidata diff for full list)
    "/* wbcreateclaim-create:1| */ [[Property:P5096]]: [[Q606269]], [[:toollabs:quickstatements/#/batch/257287|batch #257287]]"
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