Challenger's Crew: More than a "Teacher in Space"

Written by CBS News Correspondent Peter King

Almost anyone who was alive can remember where they were when the space shuttle Challenger exploded on Jan. 28, 1986. The ramp-up to that flight had been busy with news coverage of Challenger's "Teacher in Space" mission, the first time an "ordinary American" would be launched into space.

Watch the Jan. 28., 1986 CBS Evening News Report

The publicity turned New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe into a larger than life hero. Perhaps that's why, after the explosion, the media often referred to the lives lost as "Teacher Christa McAuliffe and six astronauts," something that was grossly unfair to her crewmates and their surviving families, who lost husbands, wives, friends, brothers and sisters that day.

Twenty-five years later, Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, widow of Challenger commander Dick Scobee, spoke with CBS News Radio from her home in Tennessee. Rodgers is the founding chair of the nonprofit Challenger Learning Centers and also the author of a new book,  "Silver Linings, My Life Before and After Challenger." She remembers the Challenger crew not as the space pioneers we know -- but as the human beings she knew. 

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In snapshots you probably won't find in their "official" biographies, here are some things she thought you'd enjoy knowing about her husband and friends:

Rodgers says she and future husband, Dick, met as teenagers at a church event and fell in love quickly. "Our eyes locked as we talked about the stars in the sky ....He wanted to fly airplanes...I wanted to be a teacher." Both achieved their dreams, and Rodgers says Scobee became the best guest speaker in her physics class, and also took her students flying. "We were deeply in love...he was truly my soul mate."

Christa McAuliffe beat out about 11,000 other applicants for the Teacher in Space program. "She had an endearing personality -- she was the perfect choice," says Rodgers, who adds that the fact that they were both teachers helped them become good friends quickly. McAuliffe was a frequent guest at the Scobee house; "We talked about our students, teaching, and simulation activities and why experiences outside textbooks were so important."

Mission Specialist Judith Resnik was also a frequent guest. Rodgers remembers her talking about the difficulties of growing up as girl who wanted to be an engineer -- only to be told by male teachers that a woman couldn't do it. Rodgers, who was struck by her "long curls" and femininity, says, "As we know, she became a Ph.D. and scientist and engineer!" They would often dine together at favorite restaurant; she loved seafood. And, she says, Resni\k was also a fine classical pianist who loved entertaining the families.

Mission specialist Ronald McNair was also a musician; he played jazz saxophone. Rodgers says her husband joked that if they had an astronaut band, he could play Popsicle sticks with his more talented crewmates. Rodgers says McNair was also an accomplished karate instructor, a Black Belt. She says, "Dick and I talked about wanting to get to know Ron better."

Mission Specialist Ellison Onizuka was a native Hawaiian who relished going home to talk to youngsters. Rodgers says he would "encourage them to study and work hard to achieve their dreams just as he had done, having worked in the sugar cane fields to earn money for school." Onazuka was an Eagle Scout as a youngster, and later supported Boy Scout troops in the Houston area, and coached youth football.

Michael Smith was Challenger's pilot, and like his commander he dreamed of flying as a child. Rodgers remembers, "When he was in high school he loved to play football but he often missed receiving balls passed to him. They lived near an airport and he'd look to the sky as a plane flew over. The coach asked him 'Are you going to play football or look at airplanes?' and Mike said. 'I decided to do both!"

Gregory Jarvis was a Hughes Aircraft engineer overseeing the deployment of a new satellite. As fate would have it, he'd been bumped from an earlier mission. Rodgers remember Jarvis as "always inquisitive. He asked wonderful questions, always wanting to learn more. He took classes in strange things from foreign languages to backpacking."

As we look back on the Challenger accident and its crew, we must remember that it wasn't "teacher in space Christa McAuliffe and six astronauts," but rather, seven dedicated and accomplished individuals who were not just teammates but husbands, wives, brothers, sisters, sons and daughters, colleagues and friends. Most of all, June Scobee Rodgers says, she hopes you'll remember them for the way they lived, rather than how they died. One can hear the smile in Rodgers' voice as she talks about them. "They were delightful people!"

[tiktin]

After the Challenger disaster, NASA conducted what was probably the biggest disinformation campaign by a U.S.government agency up to that time. I would like to think they are making a mistake by reminding the public of that accident, but the public is endlessly gullible, so perhaps they are safe. I suppose the purpose was to escape the blame for the accident. The shuttle blew up due to a leak in the external fuel tank but, apparently, North American, which built the tank, was unwilling to take the blame. I can only presume that the reason that they made up that story about the O ring seals was that they made a deal with Morton Thiokol to take the blame in return for an immediate $1 billion dollar contract for more solid fuel boosters, to be followed by more billions later on. Apparently no one considered it strange. Imagine if you had bought an airplane that was defective and killed seven of your friends, would you go back immediately and buy another airplane from the same manufacturer?
The commission report which followed the accident was a cynical exercise in public relations. Only one person on the commission even knew the front end of rocket from the back, and that person was dependent on NASA grants on contracts for his career. By the way,the report was extremely vague about what caused the accident. It did not explicitly blame it on the O ring seals. That was a story NASA fed to the press, but very few people actually read the commission report. The moral of this story is, folks, do not believe everything the government tells you.

[barbaram99]

I member it. We had the TV on and we were in Colo Springs. I could not see the TV..The teacher on that flight . When we were in Concord NH at Thanksgiving and went to the church for the meal.. She served us meals. She was so nice to us. I had no idea that she was training to fly in space. I member her helpfulness and kind voice. That was Thanksgiving 1983.I memer her curly. I am legally blind. I had my white cane with me. I was floored when the craft blew up.I want to acarm...I could not believe it.

[juminate]

I wonder why it took so long for her to come out with the photos. Was she just saving them to cash in on? I would think that being so close to them that she would have wanted them to be out well before the 25 years it took to mention them. And also, why is it that we only seem to remember the awful things that happen? I mean, I don't recall this much noise about the 1st successful mission. Regardless, it was a terrible event and my thoughts and prayers are still with the family members of all who lost someone that day.

[taxchurches]

About time they noticed somebody besides a teacher was killed in that accident. I always resented that they ignored the lives of the astronauts who died and made such a big deal about McAuliffe.

[baileyccc]

I was across the Banana River on the banks and watch the launch of Challenger on this very cold morning for Florida 25 years ago. After the explosion there were hundreds of people all around me and they just started crying. This is a day I can never forget. As I watch the debris fall from the sky, I prayed the shuttle would come out of the large white cloud but it never did. My thoughts and prayers are with the family members that lost so much on this day. posted by baileyccc

[Riverjump]

I remember this well. They are gone "to touch the face of God".