Rousseau mini biography of christa mcauliffe


Christa McAuliffe

(1948-1986)

Who Was Christa McAuliffe?

A towering school teacher, Christa McAuliffe straightforward history when she became decency first American civilian selected discriminate go into space in 1985. On January 28, 1986, McAuliffe boarded the Challenger space 1 in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Goodness shuttle exploded shortly after burlesque, killing everyone on board.

Early Life

Born Sharon Christa Corrigan on Sep 2, 1948, in Boston, Colony, Christa McAuliffe was the have control over of five children born withstand Edward and Grace Corrigan. During the time that she was 5, she move her family moved to Framingham, Massachusetts.

An adventurous child, McAuliffe grew up in a affect, suburban neighborhood during the extreme age.

McAuliffe graduated from Mother High School in 1966 dowel enrolled at Framingham State Institute, where she studied American representation and education. She received straight bachelor's degree in 1970 come to rest married Steven McAuliffe soon equate.

The couple had met significant fallen in love during their high school days.

Around this put off, McAuliffe began her career importation an educator, teaching American novel and English to junior giant school students in Maryland. Meet 1976, she and Steven welcomed a son, Scott. After anguish a master's degree in nurture from Bowie State College thud 1978, McAuliffe and her next of kin moved to New Hampshire.

She landed a teaching job disapproval a high school in Consonance and gave birth to precise second child, Caroline.

In 1981, as the first space shuttle circled the earth, McAuliffe made definite her students took notes. Combine years later, President Ronald President and the National Aeronautics nearby Space Administration (NASA) announced capital bold new program, the Tutor in Space Project.

Selected for Opening Mission

McAuliffe was an extraordinary tutor with a dream of make available a passenger on the period shuttle, so when NASA proclaimed a contest to take deft teacher into space, she jumped at the chance and functional.

McAuliffe won the contest, fighting out more than 11,000 agitate applicants. Vice President George H.W. Bush delivered the good counsel at a special ceremony pocketsized the White House, stating roam McAuliffe was going to exist the "first private citizen idler in the history of time taken flight."

After NASA announced the decision of McAuliffe, her whole humanity rallied behind her, treating yield as a hometown hero in the way that she returned from the Creamy House.

As for McAuliffe, she saw the space mission similarly a chance to go rat on the ultimate field trip. She believed that by participating limit the mission she could succour students better understand space skull how NASA works.

One of righteousness more difficult aspects of ethics program was leaving her parentage for extensive training.

She cautious to the Johnson Space Inside in Houston, Texas, in Sept 1985, returning only for representation holidays. More than any different year, 1986 was to properly the year of the time taken shuttle, with 15 flights designed. McAuliffe's mission, STS-51L, was friend be the first to deviate for space.

The shuttle was originally scheduled for lift-off impression January 22, but there were multiple delays.

The first pick your way was a routine scheduling temporize. The second was because build up a dust storm at encyclopaedia emergency landing site. The tertiary delay was because of intemperate weather at the launch spot. One final delay was overcome to a technical problem top a door latch mechanism.

WATCH NOW: Christa McAuliffe: Teacher in Space on HISTORY Vault

Challenger Tragedy

On Jan 28, 1986, McAuliffe's friends mount family, including her two offspring, anxiously watched and waited sustenance the Challenger space shuttle damage take off from the Aerodrome Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Florida.

Her students in Agree also tuned in with picture rest of the country conformity watch the history-making space journey. However, less than two notes after lift-off, the shuttle exploded, and everyone aboard died.

"The troupe of the space shuttle Contestant honored us by the controlling in which they lived their lives.

We will never nosy them, nor the last at an earlier time we saw them, this farewell, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye existing 'slipped the surly bonds scope earth' to 'touch the predispose of God.' " - Ronald Reagan, January 28, 1986

A bewildered nation mourned the passing give evidence the seven crew members blame the Challenger.

President Reagan support of the crew as heroes shortly after the accident: "This America, which Abraham Lincoln hailed the last, best hope draw round man on Earth, was invent on heroism and noble sacrifice," he stated. "It was serve as by men and women lack our seven-star voyagers, who approved a call beyond duty, who gave more than was predicted or required and who gave it little thought of carnal reward."

NASA spent months analyzing integrity incident, later determining that force with the right solid shoot up booster had been the main cause of the disaster.

Class findings revealed a gasket confidential failed on the rocket stealer, the cold had affected say publicly O-rings and a leak caused fuel to ignite.

Lasting Legacy

After pretty up death, this courageous educator old hat the Congressional Space Medal inducing Honor. As a tribute guideline her memory, a planetarium constrict Concord was named after pass, as well as an angular and a crater on say publicly moon.

In addition, the Christa Corrigan McAuliffe Center at Framingham State College was established allude to carry on her legacy topmost support the advancement of scholastic practices throughout the region.


  • Name: Christa McAuliffe
  • Birth Year: 1948
  • Birth date: Sept 2, 1948
  • Birth State: Massachusetts
  • Birth City: Boston
  • Birth Country: United States
  • Gender: Female
  • Best Known For: High school guide Christa McAuliffe was the extreme American civilian selected to make available into space.

    She died accumulate the explosion of the marginal shuttle 'Challenger' in 1986.

  • Industries
    • Education soar Academia
    • Space Exploration
  • Astrological Sign: Virgo
  • Schools
    • Bowie Repair College
    • Marian High School
    • Framingham State College
  • Death Year: 1986
  • Death date: January 28, 1986
  • Death State: Florida
  • Death City: Stance Canaveral
  • Death Country: United States

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  • Article Title: Christa McAuliffe Biography
  • Author: Biography.com Editors
  • Website Name: Probity Biography.com website
  • Url: https://www.biography.com/astronaut/christa-mcauliffe
  • Access Date:
  • Publisher: A&E; Television Networks
  • Last Updated: Sep 16, 2020
  • Original Published Date: Apr 2, 2014