A pioneer of orbital robotics who bridged the gap between the stars and the soil, John Fabian died on May 21, 2026, at the age of 87. Known as the first person to master the Space Shuttle’s robotic arm and a later champion for the Pacific Northwest's ecosystems, the retired Air Force Colonel passed away in Port Ludlow, Washington.

Fabian was born in Goose Creek, Texas, but he always considered Pullman, Washington, to be his true hometown. He was a product of the Pacific Northwest, graduating from Pullman High School before enrolling at Washington State University. There, he earned a Bachelor of Science in mechanical engineering and began his military journey by commissioning as an Air Force officer through the university's ROTC program. His academic pursuits were a cornerstone of his career, as he later earned a Master of Science in aerospace engineering from the U.S. Air Force Institute of Technology and a doctorate in aeronautics and astronautics from the University of Washington. These credentials formed the bedrock of a man who was as comfortable with the abstract mathematics of aerospace physics as he was with the practical realities of local land-use battles.

His early military career was defined by the cockpit and the classroom. Fabian flew 90 combat missions in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War, a period of intense operational experience that preceded his time as a KC-135 co-pilot, aircraft commander, and instructor pilot at Wurtsmith Air Force Base in Michigan. He eventually transitioned into academia, serving as a tenured associate professor in the Aeronautics Department at the U.S. Air Force Academy. Despite these achievements, the dream of spaceflight was not an immediate ambition. He only began to see himself as a potential astronaut after reading a NASA pamphlet that mentioned the Space Shuttle program would accept candidates who were six feet four inches tall. Before that discovery, his height had seemed like a barrier to the stars.

In January 1978, Fabian was selected as an astronaut candidate as part of Astronaut Group 8. His primary technical contribution during this period was the development of the Canadian Remote Manipulator System, or Canadarm. He developed a technical intimacy with the device, describing the manipulator as an intuitive tool that was nevertheless intimidating to operate. He noted that because the arm was 50 feet long, any lack of care could result in punching a hole in the shuttle wing or committing a similarly catastrophic error. This high-stakes pressure was the environment in which he thrived, mastering the delicate balance required to move massive objects in a vacuum.

His breakthrough came in June 1983 as a mission specialist on STS-7, which was the first Space Shuttle mission to carry a five-person crew. During this flight, Fabian achieved a major milestone in orbital robotics by becoming the first person to deploy and then retrieve a free-flying satellite, the SPAS-01, using the shuttle's robotic arm. This feat proved the viability of the Canadarm for complex orbital operations. He returned to space in June 1985 on STS-51-G, a mission that involved the deployment of communication satellites for Mexico, the Arab League, and AT&T. By the end of his second flight, he had logged a total of 316 hours and 4 minutes in space, earning the NASA Space Flight Medal with one oak leaf cluster and the NASA Exceptional Public Service Medal.

The trajectory of his career shifted significantly in 1986. While many expected him to continue his ascent within NASA, Fabian chose to walk away from the flight line. This decision was rooted in a promise he had made to his wife, Donna Kay Buboltz. He believed her when she told him that his marriage had a two-flight limit, and he famously remarked that he was leaving not because he wanted a different job, but because he could no longer continue in the role of an active astronaut while honoring his commitment to his family. On January 1, 1986, he left NASA to become the Director of Space at U.S. Air Force Headquarters. He eventually retired from the military with the rank of Colonel and transitioned into the private sector as the President and CEO of Analytic Services Inc., a non-profit aerospace firm. His international impact was recognized through honors such as the French Legion of Honor and the Saudi Arabian King Abdul Aziz Medal, yet he remained deeply tied to the soil of Washington, as noted in his NASA Official Biography.

His time in orbit had a profound effect on his philosophy regarding the Earth. Fabian often spoke of the Overview Effect, noting that from space, one does not see 200 different countries, but rather one shared planet. He became a vocal advocate for environmental stewardship, stating that he did not know any person who had flown in space without returning more environmentally aware. This belief was not merely rhetorical; in 2002, he co-founded the Hood Canal Coalition to oppose industrial developments that threatened the ecosystems of the Pacific Northwest. He applied his engineering mindset to these local battles, often discussing the derivative of change and warning that a high rate of change increased the likelihood of environmental hazards. According to Washington State University, he insisted that NASA must build physical things rather than rely on view graph engineering, a philosophy he brought back to the soil of Washington.

John Fabian will be remembered as a technician of the highest order who never lost sight of the human element. He was the quiet master of the Canadarm, a pilot who navigated combat and the cosmos, and a husband who valued his word above his career. As reported by collectSPACE, his transition from space to local activism was a natural evolution of his perspective on the planet. His legacy is etched into the history of the shuttle program and preserved in the protected waters of the Hood Canal. He is survived by his wife, Donna, and their two children, Michael and Amy.