John E. Blaha Status: Retired 8/26/1942 – Nationality: American Type: Government Agency: National Aeronautics and Space Administration John Elmer Blaha is a retired United States Air Force colonel and a former NASA astronaut. He is a veteran of five space missions aboard the Space Shuttle and Mir. Blaha is married to the former Brenda I. Walters of St. Louis, Missouri. They have three grown children and four grandchildren.