![]() The intended message: “This might be you. It was to be, in today’s lingo, a “teachable moment” that would raise awareness of spaceflight and inspire young people to dream big dreams. The media turned out in force, and educators around the country arranged for their students to gather around televisions in classrooms and auditoriums to watch the big event. After 24 missions, the media and the public had grown rather blasé about shuttle launches, but the teacher in space program had drawn inordinate attention to this mission. They personified one of the promises of the shuttle era-that as spaceflight became more routine, more people would be able to fly in space safely, including people like Jarvis and McAuliffe, who were not part of the astronaut corps. They seemed to reflect the multi-faceted face of America. This last Challenger crew was the most diverse crew to date, a group of talented, high-achieving individuals from various backgrounds and professions whose lives intersected for this particular seven-day journey. Greg Jarvis, engineer and satellite designer for Hughes space division, was flying as a guest astronaut to conduct experiments related to liquid propulsion systems. Christa McAuliffe, a high school social studies teacher selected to be America’s first teacher in space, was primed to broadcast in-orbit classes to classrooms around the country. physicist, had served as chief scientist on a 1984 mission (STS 41-B) and was eager to carry out more research in space. in electrical engineering, had proved her skills using the robotic arm to deploy satellites on a 1984 mission (STS 41-D) and was ready to do the same task on her second mission. ![]() Ellison Onizuka, an Air Force test pilot turned scientist-astronaut, had handled payload operations on the first Department of Defense mission (STS 51-C) in 1985. Mike Smith, Navy combat and test pilot who had flown primarily A-6 Intruders, was on his first mission as a shuttle pilot. Vietnam veteran and Air Force test pilot Dick Scobee was commanding his first shuttle mission, having been pilot on the very challenging Solar Max repair mission (STS 41-C) in 1984. The crew of STS 51-L Challenger, lost on January 28, 1986. Your support will help fund exhibitions, educational programming, and preservation efforts.īecome a member Wall of Honor Ways to give Host an Event Programs Learning resources Plan a field trip Educator professional development Education monthly theme Stories Topics Collections On demand For researchersīring the Air and Space Museum to your learners, wherever you are. National Air and Space Museum in DC Udvar-Hazy Center in VA Plan a field trip Plan a group visitĭiscover our exhibitions and participate in programs both in person or virtually.īrowse our collections, stories, research, and on demand content. ![]() Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC. Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history.
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