Shuttle Mission Simulator (SMS) scene of astronauts Michael J. Smith, Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik, and Francis R. (Dick) Scobee in their launch and entry positions on the flight deck.
Francis R. Scobee
Commander
Dick Scobee was Born May 19, 1939, in Cle Elum, Washington. Scobee joined the Air Force in 1957, served a combat tour in Vietnam and flew as a test pilot before joining NASA in 1978.
His first flight came in 1984, as pilot on the STS 41-C mission. During this seven-day flight the crew retrieved the ailing Solar Maximum Satellite, repaired it and replaced it in orbit. The mission also included flight tests of Manned Maneuvering Unit backpack in two spacewalks.
Michael J. Smith
(Captain, USN)
Pilot
Michael Smith was born April 30, 1945, in Beaufort, North Carolina. A graduate of the United States Naval Academy, Smith served in Vietnam before becoming a test pilot.
He joined NASA's astronaut corps in 1980 and served as a commander in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory. Challenger was his first spaceflight.
Judith A. Resnik, Ph. D,
Mission Specialist
Judith Resnik was born April 5, 1949, in Akron, Ohio. She was a classical pianist and also enjoyed bicycling, running, and flying during her free time. Before joining NASA, Resnik worked on circuit design and was a biomedical engineer.
She joined NASA in January 1978 and first flew as a mission specialist on STS 41-D in August 1984, on the maiden flight of the shuttle Discovery. The crew earned the name "Icebusters" for successfully removing hazardous ice particles from the shuttle using the robot arm.
Ellison S. Onizuka
(Lt. Col. USAF),
Mission Specialist
Ellison Onizuka was born June 24, 1946, in Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii. Onizuka joined the Air Force in 1970 and served as a test pilot, eventually joining the staff of the Air Force's Test Pilot School.
He joined NASA's astronaut corps in January 1978 and worked on launch support teams for the first two space shuttle flights. He first flew as a mission specialist on STS 51-C, the first space shuttle Department of Defense mission, which launched on January 24, 1985.
Ronald E. McNair, Ph. D
Mission Specialist
Ron McNair was born October 21, 1950, in Lake City, South Carolina. He was a 5th degree black belt Karate instructor and a performing jazz saxophonist. After earning a doctorate from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 1976, McNair worked as a physicist with Hughes Research Laboratories, developing lasers for space communications and other uses.
McNair joined NASA in January 1978 and first flew as a mission specialist on STS 41-B in 1984. The crew deployed two communications satellites, made the first flight test of the Manned Maneuvering Unit backpack and used the Canadian robot arm -- operated by McNair -- to position spacewalking astronauts in the payload bay for the first time.
Gregory B. Jarvis
Payload Specialist
Greg Jarvis was born August 24, 1944, in Detroit. He was an avid squash player and bicycle rider and played classical guitar. Jarvis joined the Air Force in 1969 and was assigned to the Space Division, where he worked on advanced tactical communications satellites.
He left the Air Force in 1973 and joined Hughes Aircraft, where he worked on communications and satellite designs. He was selected as a payload specialist candidate in 1984.
S. Christa Corrigan McAuliffe
Teacher in Space
Christa McAuliffe was born September 2, 1948 in Boston. McAuliffe made history when she was selected as the primary candidate for NASA's Teacher in Space Project on July 19, 1985.
She had 15 years of experience teaching junior high and high school students at schools in Maryland and New Hampshire. She taught English, American history, civics, economics and law. She developed her own course entitled "The American Woman" at Concord High School in Concord, New Hampshire.
Remember the lost crew of Challenger, with this video tribute.
