Francis R. Scobee, Commander
As an Air Force veteran, Scobee joined NASA in 1978. His first flight was in 1984, when he was pilot on STS-41-C. He spent 7 days in space, where they caught a satellite, repaired it, then put it back into orbit. He also
participated in test spacewalks with new maneuvering backpacks.
participated in test spacewalks with new maneuvering backpacks.
Michael J. Smith (Captain, USN), Pilot
Smith, a United States Navy veteran, served in Vietnam before he became a test pilot. He joined the astronauts in 1980, served as the head of a lab at NASA. “Challenger” was his first and last space flight.
Judith A. Resnik, Ph. D, Mission Specialist
Before joining NASA, Resink worked on circuit designs and she was also a biomedical engineer. She joined NASA in 1978, and flew on STS-41-D in August, 1984, one the very first flight of Discovery.
Ellison S. Onizuka (Lt. Col. USAF), Mission Specialist
After joining the Air Force in 1970, he served as a test pilot. He joined the astronaut’s corps in 1978, and worked with others as launch teams for two other space missions. He flew aboard STS-51-C.
Ronald E. McNair, Ph. D, Mission Specialist
McNair joined NASA in January 1978 and first flew as a mission specialist on STS 41-B in 1984. The crew members deployed a few satellites, tested out new maneuvering backpacks for spacewalks, and also tested out a new
Canadian robotic arm, which he operated.
Canadian robotic arm, which he operated.
Gregory B. Jarvis, Payload Specialist
Jarvis joined the Air Force in 1969, and was then assigned to the Space Division. There, he worked on some military communications satellites. When he left the Air Force, he did not join NASA, but joined another company, where he worked on communications satellites and designs. NASA chose him to be a payload specialist in 1984.
S. Christa Corrigan McAuliffe, Teacher in Space
This mission was important to NASA, because it featured Christa McAuliffe, a junior high, and high school teacher. She was selected as the candidate for NASA’s “Teacher in Space” project. This project focused around the idea that normal, average people could safely fly into space. She never made it.