The plaque was presented to the Onizuka family and the Hawaiian community. Another plaque will be provided to the Onizuka Museum located on Kona. Onizuka, Hawaii's first astronaut, was killed in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in January 1986.

Past National President Richard Sudheimer minn52 spoke at the ceremony on behalf of Triangle Fraternity (see below). Brother Onizuka was awarded the Triangle Citation in 1987 and was one of the first Brothers selected to the Triangle Wall of Fame in 1995.

The record of 71,530 feet was set by the solar-powered Pathfinder on July 7, 1997. The remotely piloted Pathfinder is one of several aircraft in NASA's Environmental Research Aircraft and Sensor Technology program managed by NASA's Dryden Flight Research Center, Edwards, CA.

Pathfinder is a research vehicle developed to explore the feasibility of flight at very high altitudes and for extreme duration. Once the basic feasibility is demonstrated for continuous day/night operations, then month-long science flights will be conducted for a variety of missions including environmental monitoring, atmospheric sampling for next generation high speed transports, hurricane surveillance, and telecommunications relays. The record flight marked a significant step on the path to maturation of these kinds of flight vehicles.

Hawaii was chosen as an optimum location for testing the solar-powered Pathfinder due to high levels of solar irradiance, available airspace and radio frequency, and diversity of terrestrial and coastal ecosystems.

Remarks delivered on behalf of Triangle Fraternity:

We, the Brothers of Ellison's Fraternity, are pleased to have been invited to speak at this event honoring one of our own. We believe it an altogether fitting honor for him, as it clearly symbolizes his unique spirit and contribution.

Triangle Fraternity, to which El belonged, is a national Fraternity of engineers, architects, and scientists. It exists to provide an environment of excellence in which a member may achieve his highest intellectual, social, and professional potential. Members of Triangle strive to constantly push back the boundaries of their chosen fields. They strive constantly to learn more so that they may achieve more and thereby bring more to this world. This is the organization to which El belonged. He was a very prominent example of what being a Triangle Brother can be and is.

El was an explorer. He saw that a person's "vision is not limited by what his eye can see, but by what his mind can imagine." He fit well the mold of a member of his Fraternity. He helped Triangle grow by being a pioneer member of the Fraternity's chapter at his alma mater, the University of Colorado. He also expanded the envelope by helping to found a chapter at the Colorado State University. In his work and in his life, he had the fortitude and drive to achieve his dreams.

I remember that during my time as a college student and undergraduate member of Triangle I looked up to El. He had achieved something of which I myself had always dreamed. He inspired me to perform in my learning.

When I subsequently had the opportunity as a Triangle alumnus to work at NASA training our nation's astronauts, I always felt him in the training sessions with me, reminding me always to live to a higher standard, to reach farther, to do better.

During that time with NASA, I had the unique opportunity to learn something more of my Brother whom I had never met. His fellow astronauts had nothing but the highest regard for him, both professionally and personally. The men and women who trained him at NASA had nothing but high praise for him. They found him to be among the best of the best; a rapid learner, a hard worker, a wise and adept professional, and a friendly friend.

The Brothers of Triangle are very proud of Ellison. He was named one of the charter members of the select group of Brothers who are listed on Triangle's Wall of Fame. He was awarded Triangle's Citation for high personal and professional achievement and the Certificate of Service to the Fraternity. He is also a holder of the National Interfraternity Conference's Silver Medal.

Naming NASA's Pathfinder aircraft, a high-flying, hard-working explorer, after such a person as Ellison makes perfect sense. They are two of the same cloth.


Timothy L. Eiler
National President, Triangle Fraternity