This January 28 marks the 40th anniversary of the tragic loss of the Challenger STS-51L crew. The Challenger Center, an organization founded by the crew’s families after the incident, is now launching a yearlong commemoration to pay tribute to the crew’s enduring legacy.
Throughout the year, the center will hold national events and provide educational resources and learning opportunities for STEM students. Some of these initiatives will include the Challenger-7 Recognition, a national honor that celebrates organizations supporting the Challenger Crew vision today; the Digital Time Capsule, a nationwide lesson for students to learn about space exploration; and many more lesson plans and events.
Established in April 1986, Challenger Center’s mission is to educate and inspire students through immersive learning experiences.
Indeed, since the first efforts to get humans into space and on the Moon, there have been numerous space expeditions and technological advances. But not all have been successful, and many astronauts caught up in space experiments did not live to tell the tale, as was the case with the Challenger crew. Click on to learn about the most tragic space missions in history and be reminded of their lasting legacy.