The Teacher in Orbit
On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart just 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members, including Christa McAuliffe, a 37-year-old high school teacher from New Hampshire. McAuliffe had been chosen from over 11,000 applicants to be the first civilian in space under NASA’s Teacher in Space Project.
Her role was to teach lessons from orbit and help inspire American students. Had the mission succeeded, it would have marked the beginning of a broader program to send civilians—educators, journalists, and artists—into space.
A Nation of Applicants
NASA’s idea for flying civilians began in the early 1980s, aiming to increase public engagement with space exploration. A 1983 NASA task force recommended flying professional communicators, such as teachers and writers, to explain space travel to the public.
The concept caught on quickly. Applicants ranged from schoolteachers to celebrities like John Denver and Tiny Tim. One suggestion for a future crew member was Big Bird from Sesame Street, but logistical concerns, such as his height, ruled that out. NASA estimated millions might apply, and discussions even considered selecting participants via Social Security lotteries.
The Journalist Plan
While McAuliffe trained for her mission, NASA began accepting applications for the next civilian slot: the first journalist in space.
Over 1,700 applicants vied for the opportunity, including Walter Cronkite, Geraldo Rivera, Tom Wolfe, and William F. Buckley Jr. The candidate pool was narrowed to 40 semifinalists, but the initiative was halted shortly after the Challenger disaster. NASA officially put the program on hold in July 1986. As of 2016, no journalist has flown on a NASA mission.
Dreams Cut Short
After Challenger, NASA’s priority shifted to rebuilding the shuttle program. Barbara Morgan, McAuliffe’s backup, eventually flew on the Endeavour in 2007 after extensive astronaut training. Meanwhile, interest in civilian spaceflight began to migrate to the private sector. Buckley, one of the journalist applicants, responded to NASA’s rejection with a quip: “Maybe I’ll figure out a way to get there first via the private sector… in which case I’ll wave.” His prediction aligned with the emergence of companies like Virgin Galactic and SpaceX, which have since taken steps toward opening space travel to civilians under entirely new terms.
On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members, including Christa McAuliffe, a high school teacher.
Her flight was meant to launch a bold new era—one where ordinary civilians would join astronauts in… pic.twitter.com/md8XuEp5hu
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