Sam Gemar was born in 1955 in Yankton, South Dakota, but considers home to be Scotland, South Dakota. He enlisted in the U. S. Army and later attended West Point Military Academy where he received a Bachelor of Science degree in engineering in 1979.

Gemar was Distinguished Graduate of his class in undergraduate pilot training, fixed-wing and multi-engine pilot training. During his career with the Army, Gemar was a Recipient of the Defense Superior Service Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Army Commendation Medal, Army Achievement Medal, Good Conduct Medal, two National Defense Service Medals and the National Intelligence Medal of Achievement.

Selected by NASA in June 1985, Gemar has flown three times and has logged over 580 hours in space. He flew on STS-38, STS-48, and STS-62. His first mission (STS-38) was a five-day Department of Defense mission. On his second mission (STS-48), he was part of a five-man crew that successfully deployed the Upper Atmosphere Research Satellite (UARS), designed to study the Earth’s upper atmosphere on a global scale thus providing scientists with their first complete data set on the upper atmosphere’s chemistry, winds and energy inputs. Gemar’s last mission (STS-62) conducted 60 experiments in the areas of microgravity science and technology. Of special note during this mission, the shuttle’s orbital altitude was lowered to 105 nautical miles, the lowest ever flown by a Space Shuttle.

Sam retired from NASA in 1998 and moved to Wichita, Kansas where he is the Director of Test-Flight Operations for Bombardier.  After NASA, he continued working in the Aerospace Industry completing 20 years in private industry.