In one of the tragic accidents of American space exploration, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after its launch on Jan. 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members who were aboard including teacher Christa McAuliffe. She was on board the Challenger — on its 10th space mission — as part of a program called the Teachers in Space Project. As a result, tens of thousands of students had been watching the shuttle’s liftoff live in classrooms when the fatal accident occurred. Years later, as a tribute to their daughter, McAuliffe’s parents Ed and Grace Corrigan, travelled across the United States, speaking about the importance of education and appropriate funding for public schools. Read More