[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 21 (Wednesday, February 2, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Pages S493-S494]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




     36TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE ``CHALLENGER'' SPACE SHUTTLE DISASTER

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, I rise in recognition of the 36th 
anniversary of the Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster and to pay tribute 
to the memory of all seven Challenger crewmembers: Gregory Jarvis, 
Judith Resnik, Francis Scobee, Ronald McNair, Michael Smith, Ellison 
Onizuka, and Christa McAuliffe.
  On January 28, 1986, the world witnessed a fatal accident that 
claimed the lives of all seven of the Challenger's crewmembers. As many 
of my colleagues will remember, just moments after launch, the shuttle 
exploded, never having left the Earth's atmosphere. It was later 
determined that unusually cold temperatures caused several seals within 
the shuttle's right rocket booster to fail, ultimately resulting in 
this devastating tragedy.
  This anniversary is a particularly difficult day for the people of 
New Hampshire as we pause to remember the Challenger crew, including 
Granite Stater Christa McAuliffe. The Challenger mission had been 
chosen to pilot President Reagan's Teacher in Space Program, and 
Concord schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe was selected to be the 
program's first participant. Christa looked forward to the opportunity 
to teach two lessons from space and share her once-in-a-lifetime 
experience with students across the country.
  Although the Teacher in Space program was discontinued following the 
accident, the families of the Challenger's crew established the first 
Challenger Center for Space Science Education to promote science, 
technology, engineering, and math--STEM--education. The center is a 
nonprofit that engages with students and teachers, providing hands-on 
education in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Today, 
40 Challenger learning centers have opened globally, and they are 
continuing to expand opportunities for innovative programs and 
activities in STEM. Though we lost five dedicated astronauts, a hard-
working engineer, and a passionate and devoted educator 36 years ago, 
the Challenger's poignant legacy continues to live on.
  So many of our students and teachers can point to Christa McAuliffe 
and Challenger learning centers as having inspired them to pursue 
careers in education, science, mathematics, and innovation. New 
Hampshire has both the McAuliffe-Shepard Discovery Center, an air and 
space museum and planetarium, as well as the Christa McAuliffe School, 
an elementary school in Concord. I have no doubt Christa would be glad 
to know that a great number of young women have chosen to follow in her 
footsteps and embrace the values she worked so hard to espouse. Christa 
lived by the words, ``I touch the future. I teach.'' More than three 
decades later, her enduring impact on the future is clear.
  In 2019, the Senate passed the Christa McAuliffe Commemorative Coin 
Act, legislation I sponsored with the late Senator Mike Enzi of 
Wyoming. The legislation was advanced through Congress with 
overwhelming bipartisan

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support and was subsequently signed into law. The enactment of this 
legislation meant that a commemorative coin in Christa's honor was 
minted by the U.S. Treasury in 2021. Proceeds from the sale of this 
coin are going to support STEM education, helping to cultivate a new 
generation of scientists, engineers, and educators.
  Today, we take pause to honor the seven outstanding professionals 
lost in the Challenger accident and acknowledge that this is a very 
difficult day for their colleagues at NASA, family and friends. Our 
hearts are with them on this day of remembrance.

                          ____________________