TRANSCRIPT
MISSION CONTROL: "3, 2, 1...”
That's Challenger lifting off on a cold morning in January 1986 with seven astronauts on board. One of them was a New Hampshire teacher whose name was soon to go down in history.
"This is Christa McAuliffe, live from the Challenger."
Christa had been chosen from thousands as the country's first Teacher in Space, an initiative announced by President Ronald Reagan in 1984.
"Today I am directing NASA to begin a search in all of our elementary and secondary schools, and to choose as the first citizen passengers in the history of our space program, one of our finest - a teacher."
The launch unfolded live on television, as millions of people - including school children - tuned in around the world to watch the New Hampshire teacher go into orbit with six other astronauts.
"Let's get down to the Kennedy Space Centre and take a look at Challenger sitting on the pad."
But the mission was to end in tragedy, 73 seconds after takeoff.
GROUND CONTROL: "Challenger, go at throttle up."
SCOBIE (Pilot): "Roger, go at throttle up."
(Radio crackles – silence)
"From ABC, this is World News Tonight with Peter Jennings... "It is the worst disaster in the history of the American space program. And President Reagan has declared a week of mourning for the seven astronauts."
Christa would have turned 76 this year.
Pam Melroy, NASA Deputy Administrator, says that her death was certainly not in vain.
"It was incredibly tragic that the Challenger disaster cut short Christa's life, along with the lives of six other astronauts. This profound loss led to a deep reassessment of NASA’s safety culture and safety protocols. Christa's death was not in vain. It spurred crucial advancements in spacecraft design, risk management, and the overall safety of human space flight.”
On her birthday, the city of Concord in New Hampshire - where she once taught high school - has unveiled a statue in her honour on the grounds of the Statehouse.
" We're here today to reflect on the enduring legacy of Christa McAuliffe, a figure whose influence on NASA, and the broader space exploration community, remains a very poignant symbol of courage, of commitment to education, and the inherent risks of space exploration.”
The 8-foot-tall or 2.4-metre bronze, by sculptor Benjamin Victor, depicts McAuliffe walking in stride in a NASA flight suit.
The artist says what happened has always touched him deeply.
"My story is a lot like many, many of you in the audience today. They brought out the big TV, the old TVs that were so deep and on the big cart for us all to watch, and we didn't really know what happened until it was explained to us. And it was just so tragic and so sad and I couldn't help as a young artist, not knowing that I'd go into a career in art, but just having that empathy, I couldn't help but think of her kids that were about my age.”
It is believed to be the first full statue of the teacher, known for her openness to experimental learning and her motto: “I touch the future, I teach.”
Though she never got to teach her prepared lessons in space, others have taken the material and presented them during flight in her honour.
These international space station astronauts are presenting the second of what's become known as Christa's Lost Lessons, through the Office of STEM Engagement, in partnership with the Challenger Centre.
"Hi there, my name is Serena Arnan-Chancellor."
"And I'm Ricki Arnold, and we are living and working on the International Space Station. Today we're going to look at Newton's three laws of motion. These laws tell us how all motion behaves under ideal circumstances."
Steve McAuliffe was Christa's husband.
Now a federal judge, he has spoken in a rare public appearance at the statue unveiling, saying education is the legacy his wife would have wanted.
"She would want me to sternly stress that this statue must be seen and appreciated as she hoped to be seen and appreciated: as a classroom teacher representing her profession, as a stand in for all teachers and all educators."
