14. McNair is the first person to play saxophone in space
He may not have been the first African-American in space, but Ronald achieved two other firsts all the same. Firstly, he became the first member of the Bahá’í Faith to go into space. Secondly, he also became the first person to play a saxophone in space. McNair was a noted saxophonist, and he took his favorite instrument with him on the Challenger in February 1984. Floating on his back in zero gravity conditions, Ronald played an original composition on the instrument. Ronald gave the reed he used to his old music teacher who gave him his first saxophone.
