Forty years ago, we lost seven exceptional members of the scientific community. January 28th of 1986 had brought unusually cold weather to Cape Canaveral, Florida, where the Space Shuttle Challenger was scheduled to lift off for flight STS 51-L. The mission carried student experiments on crystal growth and chicken embryo development, a study on the motion of fluids in zero gravity, and the Spartan-Halley carrier spacecraft to observe and document the flyby of Halley’s Comet. STS 51-L would also initiate NASA’s Teacher in Space program, in which beloved schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe would conduct live lessons from space and create educational resources for schools around the country. But the cold weather combined with a deteriorated seal compromised the right solid rocket booster. A mere 73 seconds after launch, a hydrogen-oxygen flash fire erupted and the shuttle disintegrated.
In the aftermath, the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident conducted a 3-month investigation. They examined the shuttle materials that could be recovered, consulted with engineers and parts manufacturers, and questioned NASA administrators to determine the cause of the tragedy. The investigation ended with a proposal for improving the design and safety checks for shuttle missions. The next space shuttle would not launch until 1988.
This Wednesday, January 28th, join the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee at 11am for their 40th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony.
Francis R. Scobee, Commander
Lt. Col. Francis Scobee served in the U.S. Air Force for 20 years. He began as a mechanic and became an esteemed pilot with over 6,500 flying hours. During this time, he earned his bachelor’s in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona. In 1978, Scobee entered NASA’s astronaut candidate program. He spent 168 hours in space for the 1984 STS 41-C space shuttle mission, which installed the Long Duration Exposure Facility (LDEF). This facility was instrumental in the research and development of spacecraft materials.
Michael J. Smith, Pilot
Capt. Michael Smith was a naval test pilot and aviation instructor. He received his Master of Science in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School. He joined NASA in 1980 as an astronaut candidate and held multiple roles in the agency, including commander in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL). SAIL was responsible for the application and testing of the hardware, software, and procedures that made the space shuttle program possible. STS 51-L would have been Smith’s first spaceflight.
Judith A. Resnik, Mission Specialist
Dr. Judith Resnik was an electrical engineer with a Ph.D. from the University of Maryland. Throughout her career, she conducted biomedical research and designed special-purpose integrated circuitry. At NASA, she contributed to the development of training techniques and experiment software for the space shuttle program. One of her major projects was the Shuttle Remote Manipulator System (or Canadarm), which she and her crewmates would later utilize on mission STS 41-D to remove ice from the orbiter. Dr. Resnik was the second American woman and the first Jewish American to travel to space.
Ellison S. Onizuka, Mission Specialist
After graduating from the University of Colorado, Col. Ellison Onizuka became a test pilot and flight engineer for the U.S. Air Force. His master’s degree in aerospace engineering paved the way for him to join the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory (SAIL) at NASA, where he worked on software testing and payload development for space shuttle missions. During STS 51-C, he became the first Asian American and the first person of Japanese ancestry in space. This mission deployed satellite USA-8 and conducted other classified operations for the Department of Defense.
Ronald E. McNair, Mission Specialist
Dr. Ronald McNair received his Ph.D. in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. His research focused on laser physics and molecular spectroscopy, making early breakthroughs in the development and use of high-pressure CO lasers. He also published the paper “The Physics of Karate,” himself being a black belt karate instructor. As an astronaut, Dr. McNair was among the first three Black members of NASA’s astronaut cadre. He logged 191 hours of spaceflight, during which he was the first to operate the Canadarm Remote Manipulator System and led experiments on chemical separation.
S. Christa McAuliffe, Teacher in Space
Christa McAuliffe held a master’s degree in education from Bowie State College and subsequently taught middle and high school for over a decade. Her primary subjects were American history and social studies. She also developed a new course on The American Woman. In 1985, McAuliffe was selected from a nationwide pool of 11,000 applicants for NASA’s Teacher in Space program, which flight STS 51-L would have inaugurated.
Gregory B. Jarvis, Payload Specialist
Gregory Jarvis studied electrical engineering at Northeastern University, where he gained his master’s degree in the field. He worked with the Air Force Space Division and the Space and Communications group of Hughes Aircraft Company to design communications technology. This included the Fleet Satellite Communications (FLTSATCOM) system and LEASAT, both of which were instrumental in enabling the high-speed, global satellite communication we rely on today. Jarvis’ work on these systems led to his candidacy as a payload specialist for NASA.
Legacy
In 2004, all crew members were posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. You can access their full bios and more information about the Challenger accident here. In the crew’s memory, their loved ones contributed to the founding of the Challenger Center, and to this date they all remain active in its Advisory Council. There are currently 32 Challenger Learning Centers across the U.S., dedicated to fostering curiosity and promoting science education for K-12 students.
