▁Following ▁this ▁mission , ▁Mc N air ▁was ▁selected ▁for ▁ST S - 5 1 - L , ▁which ▁launched ▁on ▁January ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 1 9 8 6 , ▁and ▁was ▁subsequently ▁killed ▁when ▁Ch allen ger ▁dis integr ated ▁nine ▁miles ▁above ▁the ▁Atlantic ▁Ocean ▁ 7 3 ▁seconds ▁after ▁lif to ff . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 7 1 , ▁he ▁received ▁a ▁Bach elor ▁of ▁Science ▁degree ▁in ▁Engineering ▁Physics , ▁mag na ▁cum ▁la ude , ▁from ▁the ▁North ▁Carolina ▁Agricult ural ▁and ▁Techn ical ▁State ▁University ▁in ▁Gre ens bor o , ▁North ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁After ▁gradu ation ▁from ▁M IT ▁( rece iving ▁four ▁honor ary ▁doctor ates , ▁a ▁score ▁of ▁fellow ships ▁and ▁comm end ations ▁while ▁ach ieving ▁a ▁ 6 th - deg ree ▁black ▁bel t ▁in ▁ta ek w ondo ), ▁he ▁became ▁a ▁staff ▁phys ic ist ▁at ▁the ▁Hugh es ▁Research ▁Lab ▁in ▁Mal ib u , ▁California . ▁▁ ▁Mc N air ▁was ▁a ▁member ▁of ▁the ▁Om ega ▁P si ▁Ph i ▁F rat ern ity . ▁He ▁was ▁buried ▁at ▁the ▁Rest ▁La wn ▁Memorial ▁Park ▁in ▁Lake ▁City , ▁South ▁Carolina . ▁ ▁Background ▁Mc N air ▁was ▁born ▁October ▁ 2 1 , ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁in ▁Lake ▁City , ▁South ▁Carolina , ▁to ▁Pear l ▁M . ▁and ▁Carl ▁C . ▁Mc N air . ▁He ▁had ▁two ▁brothers , ▁Carl ▁S . ▁and ▁Eric