On January 29, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight. In the archived video of the event, you can see the exact moment the engine stops working as the shuttle is encased in a ball of fire. Clouds of smoke erupted across the sky while the Challenger began a dangerous descent into the Atlantic Ocean. The Challenger allegedly crashed into the ocean at speeds over 200 miles per hour, crushing the structure of the shuttle and destroying everything inside. All seven crew members died in the accident. This tragic event didn’t just bring devastation to the United States, it brought a wave of sorrow across the entire world. Television networks interrupted their regular programs to broadcast the accident, and World Leaders held moments of silence for the lost crew members.
Among the lost crew members, there was a woman named Christa McAuliffe. A Massachusetts native, McAuliffe spent a critical portion of her career as an educator teaching at schools in New Hampshire. First at Bow High School, then later at Concord High School where she was employed at the time of the accident. McAuliffe was a History and English teacher at Concord High School, but always had a desire to explore new things. When President Ronald Reagan announced the NASA Mission to send the first teacher into outer space, McAuliffe jumped at the opportunity. Out of 11,000 applicants, Mcauliffe was chosen to be the teacher-astronaut sent into Space. The project was intended to increase public interest in NASA, but no one expected it to have such a devastating outcome.
McAuliffe left behind two biological children, but her students and community also suffered from this tragic loss. Staff members in the Concord School District reported that the accident caused “silence” in the school. No one could say anything.
It has been 37 years since the Space Shuttle Challenger accident, but it still remains one of the most remembered space shuttle failures in history.
New Hampshire Governor, Chris Sununu, launched an executive order to build a memorial for Christa McAuliffe outside the New Hampshire State House. Sununu requested $500,000 in the state budget to be allocated to building the memorial. In the executive order, Sununu claims he plans to oversee the entire process from surveying the land to the construction process. Sununu said he was inspired by McAuliffe’s famous saying, “I touch the future. I teach”. The memorial is not only meant to honor McAuliffe, but also to remind others to continue striving for new heights and never stop exploring. The Memorial is set to be unveiled on September 2, 2024, what would have been McAuliffe’s 76th birthday.
There are many other memorials for Christa McAuliffe across the nation. One of the most popular is the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, a science museum in Concord, New Hampshire. The museum changed its name in order to honor Mcauliffe and Alan Shepard, the first man in outer space.
Works Cited
“Challenger disaster: World reacts in sorrow.” UPI, 28 January 2016, https://www.upi.com/Top_News/US/2016/01/28/Challenger-disaster-World-reacts-in-sorrow/4011453833608/. Accessed 23 March 2023.
“Christa McAuliffe Memorial to Be Built at NH Statehouse.” NBC Boston, 16 February 2023, https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/christa-mcauliffe-memorial-to-be-built-at-nh-statehouse/2975402/. Accessed 23 March 2023.
“Christa McAuliffe memorial to be built at NH Statehouse.” AP News, 15 February 2023, https://apnews.com/article/new-hampshire-state-government-accidents-chris-sununu-christa-mcauliffe-f18819b32a277594cd703d644f4a6309. Accessed 23 March 2023.
“Memorial for Christa McAuliffe to be constructed at New Hampshire State House.” WMUR, 15 February 2023, https://www.wmur.com/article/memorial-christa-mcauliffe-new-hampshire-state-house/42929808. Accessed 23 March 2023.
Oberg, James. “7 myths about the Challenger shuttle disaster.” NBC News, 25 January 2006, https://www.nbcnews.com/id/wbna11031097. Accessed 23 March 2023.
“STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE.” STATE OF NEW HAMPSHIRE, https://www.governor.nh.gov/sites/g/files/ehbemt336/files/inline-documents/sonh/executive-order-2023-02.pdf. Accessed 23 March 2023.