McAuliffe's backup, Barbara Morgan, a schoolteacher from Idaho, rocketed into orbit in 2007 aboard Endeavour as a fully-trained astronaut. They're actually lessons learned,' said Rodgers, an educator who lives in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Today, there are more than 40 Challenger Learning Centers focusing on science, technology, engineering and math, mostly in the U.S. Unusually cold weather that morning left Challenger's booster rockets with stiff O-ring seals a leak in the right booster doomed the ship. The McAuliffes normally do not take part in these NASA memorials, so Scott's presence is especially noteworthy.Īlong with the other Challenger families, Rodgers established the Challenger Center for Space Science Education just three months after the shuttle disintegrated in the Florida sky. Scott and his sister are now in their 30s and have followed in their mother's footsteps to become teachers as well. McAuliffe is presiding over a trial this week in Concord, and so son Scott will represent the family, part of the next-generation shift. NASA later blamed the deadly launch on unusually cold weather in Florida which led to the shuttle's booster rocket O-ring seals to become stiff, causing a leak. The launch was highly publicized due to the fact that New Hampshire high school teacher Christa McAuliffe was to become the first teacher in space - winning the spot from a pool of 10,000 applicants.īut just 73 seconds after the launch, the shuttle exploded in the sky making a trail of smoke into the ocean. The shuttle was taking five crew, an engineer and a school teacher in space. On January 28, 1986, shortly before noon, the space shuttle challenger launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida. Meanwhile, NASA Administrator Charles Bolden also commemorated the fallen astronauts by placing a wreath at their memorial in Arlington National Cemetery. They gathered at he Kennedy Space Center in Florida to pay an emotional tribute to their lost loved ones. His sister, who was six, and their father Steven chose not to attend.Īlong with Mr McAuliffe was Alison Smith Balch, daughter of Challenger pilot Michael Smith and Kathie Scobee Fulgham, daughter of Challenger commander Francis Scobee and her brother Air Force Brig. Today he stood clutching a white rose in a rare appearance to honor her. Scott McAuliffe, who along with his sister Caroline has become a teacher like their mother, was just eight when the tragedy happened. Today, on the 30th anniversary of the disaster, the son of teacher Christa McAuliffe, who won her place onboard the shuttle and died alongside her fellow astronauts, led family tributes. Seventy-three seconds later, the nation gave a united gasp as the shuttle exploded like a firework across the bright blue sky - killing all seven crew members on board. On January 28, 1986, Americans across the country took a break from their work, or from class, and found their way to a television to watch the space shuttle Challenger take off from Cape Canaveral.
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