What was the significance of Christa McAuliffe?

What was the significance of Christa McAuliffe?

Christa McAuliffe was an American teacher, selected from more than 11,000 applicants to be the first teacher in space. Tragically, she died just 73 seconds after liftoff of the space shuttle Challenger, along with six other astronauts. She is remembered as a heroine by her profession by attempting to touch the future.

What is Christa McAuliffe legacy?

Her legacy is a reminder of the incredible impact teachers have on students – and therefore, the future – and she inspired countless people to pursue knowledge and careers in education, space, STEM and more with the same infectious enthusiasm and pioneering spirit.

Who is Christa McAuliffe and what happened to her?

CHRISTA McAuliffe a teacher and astronaut who tragically passed away in the 1986 destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger. McAuliffe was selected from more than 11,000 applicants to participate in the NASA Teacher in Space Project and was scheduled to become the first teacher in space.

Who was the first teacher to go to space?

Christa McAuliffe
On January 28, 1986, the morning was colder than normal which caused the O-ring on the solid rocket booster to fail allowing vapor to leak which lead to the disintegration of the shuttle. On board that day was the First Teacher in Space, Christa McAuliffe.

What was the cause for the Challenger explosion?

Hot gases from the rocket had slipped past the O-rings in two of the SRB segments. At roughly the 73-second mark after launch, the right SRB triggered the rupture of the external fuel tank. Liquid hydrogen and oxygen ignited, and the explosion enveloped Challenger.

Was Christa McAuliffe a good teacher?

McAuliffe was an extraordinary teacher with a dream of being a passenger on the space shuttle, so when NASA announced a contest to take a teacher into space, she jumped at the chance and applied. McAuliffe won the contest, beating out more than 11,000 other applicants. Vice President George H.W.

When was Christa McAuliffe selected to go to space?

A high school teacher, Christa McAuliffe made history when she became the first American civilian selected to go into space in 1985. On January 28, 1986, McAuliffe boarded the Challenger space shuttle in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Who was the alternate for Christa McAuliffe?

Along with McAuliffe, a second-grade teacher from Idaho, Barbara Morgan, then 33, was selected as the alternate. The two trained together at the Johnson Space Center from September 1985 to January 1986.

What did Christa McAuliffe want to teach on the Challenger?

The lessons McAuliffe hoped to teach aboard the Challenger are now available online as part of her Lost Lessons. But perhaps the most valuable lesson she taught was the importance of education, as she famously captured in the words: “I touch the future. I teach.”

Where was the Christa McAuliffe technology conference held?

The Christa McAuliffe Technology Conference has been held in Nashua, New Hampshire, every year since 1986, and is devoted to the use of technology in all aspects of education. The Nebraska McAuliffe Prize honors a Nebraska teacher each year for courage and excellence in education.