LibGuides: Challenger STS-51L: Challenger and the STS-51L Mission

About the Challenger Space Shuttle

The Challenger shuttle joined the NASA fleet in July 1982. Before the disaster on January 28, 1986, Challenger made 9 successful flights that totaled in 96 days and 987 orbits in space.

Challenger information from Kennedy Space Center Science
Background information on the Challenger and technical and background information about all 10 of her flights.

Average reading level (in grades): 6 - 13.7 depending on section.
Mission Profile
From NASA. This mission profile outlines in plain English the STS-51L mission.

Average reading level (in grades): 11.7

Press Kit January 1986: Tracking and Data Relay Satellite (TDRSB) and Teacher in Space Program by NASA
Publication Date: 1-1-1986
Press kit from NASA describing the STS-51L mission. Includes descriptions of the mission and the Teacher in Space Program.
Press Kit January 1986: Part 2 by NASA
Publication Date: 1-1-1986
A continuation of the first press kit. Part 2 includes diagrams for the shuttle, daily schedules for the mission, descriptions of student authored experiments (payloads) for the Teach in Space program, and brief biographies of the astronauts.

Image: NASA, "Liftoff of the Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L Mission" (2015). Challenger STS-51-L Image Collection. 5.
http://digitalcommons.framingham.edu/challenger_images/5

The STS-51L Crew

Crew members are (left to right, front row) astronauts Michael J. Smith, Francis R. (Dick) Scobee and Ronald E. McNair; Ellison S. Onizuka, S. Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis and Judith A. Resnik.

Biographies of Crew
From NASA. Short biographical information on all seven crew members with citations to additional sources.

The 1986 Press Kit Part 2 also has brief biographies of the STS-51L crew.

Average reading level (in grades): 10.4

Image: NASA, "Challenger Crew Group Photo" (2015). Challenger STS-51-L Image Collection. 13.
http://digitalcommons.framingham.edu/challenger_images/13

Database Searches

These links are to Gale databases provided through the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners. They are accessibly by any one in Massachusetts. If you are outside of Massachusetts consult with your local or school library to see if you can access Gale databases through them and repeat the searches described above.

Search Results from Search Results from Gale PowerSearch
Gale PowerSearch provides results from newspapers, magazines, and academic journals, as well as images and videos.

This link is to search results from the search:
Challenger AND "Space Shuttle"

This search will include both recently published and historic results about the Challenger and missions. If you are interested primary sources use the "Custom Data Range" limiter on the right to limit to articles published in the 1980's.
Search Results from Gale U.S. History in Context
Gale US History in Context provides results from biographical and reference materials, as well as primary and academic sources.

This link is to search results from the search:
Challenger (Space Shuttle)