Christa McAuliffe facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Sharon Christa McAuliffe
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| Born | September 2, 1948 |
| Status | Killed during mission. |
| Died | January 28, 1986 (aged 37) |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Teacher |
| Space career | |
| NASA Spaceflight Participant | |
| Selection | 1985 Teacher in Space Project |
| Missions | STS-51-L |
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Mission insignia
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Sharon Christa McAuliffe (born September 2, 1948 – died January 28, 1986) was an American teacher from Concord, New Hampshire. She was one of seven brave crew members who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger accident.
Christa studied education and history at Framingham State College. She earned her first degree in 1970. Later, in 1978, she got a master's degree from Bowie State University. In 1983, she started teaching social studies at Concord High School in New Hampshire.
In 1985, Christa was chosen for the NASA Teacher in Space Project. Over 11,000 teachers applied for this special chance. She was going to be the first teacher to fly into space. As part of the STS-51-L mission, she planned to do experiments. She also wanted to teach two lessons from the Space Shuttle Challenger. Sadly, on January 28, 1986, the shuttle broke apart. This happened just 73 seconds after it launched. After her death, many schools and scholarships were named in her honor. In 2004, she received the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. This award is given to people who show great courage in space.
Contents
The Teacher in Space Project: A Special Mission
In 1984, President Ronald Reagan announced a new idea. It was called the Teacher in Space Project. Christa McAuliffe learned that NASA wanted to send a regular person, a teacher, into space. NASA hoped to find a "normal person" who was also a great teacher. This teacher would be able to talk to students from space. Christa was one of more than 11,000 people who applied.
"I cannot join the space program and restart my life as an astronaut, but this opportunity to connect my abilities as an educator with my interests in history and space is a unique opportunity to fulfill my early fantasies."
NASA wanted to send a teacher into space for a few reasons. They hoped it would make more people interested in the Space Shuttle program. It would also show that space travel was safe and reliable. At that time, NASA needed more money and support. President Reagan also said it would remind Americans how important teachers and education are.
NASA chose a group called the Council of Chief State School Officers. This group helped pick the teacher. First, 114 semi-finalists were chosen from all the applicants. Christa was one of two teachers from New Hampshire. These semi-finalists met in Washington, D.C., in June 1985. They learned about space education. They also met a panel that would choose the 10 finalists.
On July 1, 1985, Christa was named one of the 10 finalists. A week later, she went to Johnson Space Center. There, she had many medical tests. She also learned a lot about space flight. The finalists were interviewed by NASA officials. These officials then suggested who should be the main teacher and the backup. On July 19, 1985, Vice President George H. W. Bush announced that Christa was chosen. Another teacher, Barbara Morgan, was her backup. People said Christa stood out because of her friendly way. A NASA official said she had "infectious enthusiasm."
Later that year, Christa and Barbara took a year off from teaching. They trained for the space shuttle mission. NASA paid their salaries during this time. Even though Christa was not a full-time astronaut, she was part of the STS-51-L crew. She planned to do science experiments and teach lessons from space. Her plans included experiments on chromatography (how mixtures separate) and hydroponics (growing plants without soil). She also wanted to study magnetism and Newton's laws of how things move.
Christa planned to teach two 15-minute classes from space. One was called "The Ultimate Field Trip." It would be a tour of the spacecraft. The other was about why space travel is important. These lessons would be shown to millions of schoolchildren on TV. Christa also wanted to keep a journal. She wanted to write about her thoughts, like pioneers traveling west in wagons.
After being chosen, Christa appeared on many TV shows. These included Good Morning America and The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. On The Tonight Show, she was asked about the mission. She famously said, "If you're offered a seat on a rocket ship, don't ask what seat. Just get on." She was very good with the media. This helped the Teacher in Space Project become very popular.
The Challenger Accident
On January 28, 1986, Christa McAuliffe boarded the Challenger. She was with the six other crew members of mission STS-51-L. Just 73 seconds after launch, the shuttle broke apart. This happened at a height of 48,000 feet (about 14,600 meters). All seven crew members died in the accident.
A special group was formed to find out why the accident happened. It was called the Presidential Commission on the Space Shuttle Challenger Accident. This group found that a part called an O-ring failed. O-rings are rubber seals. They were made by a company called Morton-Thiokol. These O-rings were supposed to seal a joint in the shuttle's right Solid Rocket Booster.
The problem was that the O-rings did not work well in cold weather. On the day of the launch, it was very cold, only 36 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius). This was much colder than any previous launch. The Commission found that the cold temperature likely stopped the O-rings from sealing properly.
Christa McAuliffe's Legacy
Christa McAuliffe was buried in Blossom Hill Cemetery in her hometown of Concord. Many events and places have been named to honor her. For example, the Daytona 500 NASCAR race honored her in 1986.
The McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center in Concord is named after her. So is the Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center for Education and Teaching Excellence at Framingham State University. Even things in space are named for her! These include the asteroid 3352 McAuliffe, a crater on the Moon called McAuliffe, and a crater on Venus. About 40 schools around the world are named after her. One example is the Christa McAuliffe Space Education Center in Pleasant Grove, Utah.
Many scholarships and events also remember her. The Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference has been held every year since 1986. It focuses on using technology in education. The Nebraska McAuliffe Prize honors a teacher each year for their courage and excellence. Grants in her name help innovative teachers. These grants come from groups like the American Association of State Colleges and Universities.
In 1990, actress Karen Allen played Christa in a TV movie called Challenger. A children's science-fiction TV show from 1996-1997, Space Cases, named its spaceship "Christa." In 2006, a documentary film about Christa and Barbara Morgan aired on CNN. It was called Christa McAuliffe: Reach for the Stars. The film marked 20 years since her death. It was narrated by Susan Sarandon and featured a song by Carly Simon.
Images for kids
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McAuliffe was a teacher at Concord High School in New Hampshire.
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Christa (left) and her backup Barbara Morgan (right) try out space food in the canteen of the Johnson Space Center, Sep 10, 1985
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Challenger crew from left to right: (front row) Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair; (back row) Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, and Judith Resnik
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McAuliffe's grave in Concord, New Hampshire
See also
In Spanish: Christa McAuliffe para niños
