Space SHuttle Challenger
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NASA
40 Years Ago: STS-51A – “The Ace Repo Company”
Successfully deployed from the space shuttle Challenger during the February 1984 STS-41B mission, the Westar 6 and Palapa B2 communications satellites ended up in incorrect orbits due to failures of their upper stage rockets. During STS-51A in November 1984, Discovery’s second trip into space, the crew of Commander Frederick H. “Rick” Hauck, Pilot David M. Walker, and Mission Specialists Joseph P. Allen, Anna L. Fisher, and Dale…
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NASA
40 Years Ago: STS-41G – A Flight of Many Firsts and Records
The 13th flight of the space shuttle program and the sixth of Challenger, STS-41G holds many distinctions. As the first mission focused almost entirely on studying the Earth, it deployed a satellite, employed multiple instruments, cameras, and crew observations to accomplish those goals. The STS-41G crew set several firsts, most notably as the first seven-member space crew. Other milestones included the…
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NASA
40 Years Ago: President Reagan Announces Teacher in Space Project
On Aug. 27, 1984, President Ronald W. Reagan announced the Teacher in Space project as part of NASA’s Space Flight Participant Program to expand the space shuttle experience to a wider set of private citizens who would communicate the experience to the public. From 11,000 teacher applicants, each of the 50 states and territories selected two nominees for a total…
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NASA
NASA’s Day of Remembrance
Every year on NASA’s Day of Remembrance, the agency pauses to honor the sacrifice of the NASA family members who gave their lives to advance the cause of exploration. Employees remember friends and colleagues, including the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. A key element in observances across the agency centers on lessons learned from each…
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NASA
The Iconic Photos from STS-41B: Documenting the First Untethered Spacewalk
As astronaut Bruce McCandless II flew the Manned Maneuvering Unit (MMU) out of the space shuttle Challenger’s payload bay for the first time on February 7, 1984, many in the agency were fearful about the use of a self-propelled and untethered backpack in space. (Previous spacewalkers remained connected to the vehicle with tethers. This jet-pack allowed crews to move outside…
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NASA
NASA to Observe Day of Remembrance, Host Employee Safety Town Hall
In honor of the members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery for the benefit all, the agency will host its annual Day of Remembrance Thursday, Jan. 25. Traditionally held on the fourth Thursday in January each year, NASA Day of Remembrance will commemorate the crews of Apollo 1 and space…
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NASA
OTD 1986: STS 51 Challenger Explodes Shortly After Liftof
On this day in 1986, The Space Shuttle Challenger on STS 51 exploded at T+ 73 seconds after liftoff due to failure of a ring in the right site Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). This accident caused the loss of life of all 7 crew members on board, including the first Teacher in space. The list of those who lost their…
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NASA
Honoring a Teacher: Christa McAuliffe’s Lost Lessons
At some point in life, everyone has had a teacher. Teachers are a special group of individuals who nurture minds and ensure that we are equipped to be successful in our personal and professional lives. One such teacher was Christa McAuliffe, who made history when she became the first teacher selected to go to space as part of NASA’s Teacher in…
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NASA
NASA Honors Its Fallen Heroes, Marks 15th Anniversary of Columbia Accident
NASA will pay will tribute to the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as other NASA colleagues who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, during the agency’s annual Day of Remembrance on Thursday, Jan. 25. NASA acting Administrator Robert Lightfoot, and other agency senior officials, will lead an observance…
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