34th anniversary of the Challenger Space Shuttle tragedy

On Jan. 28, 1986, seven astronauts lost their lives when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida. The explosion happened after the Challenger's external fuel tank collapsed. The tragedy unfolded on live TV as many students across the country watched. 

Francis R. (Dick) Scobee Spacecraft Commander Born on May 19, 1939 Birth place - Cle Elum, Washington Family - Wife, June, and two children Michael J. Smith Pilot Born on April 30, 1945 Birth place - Beaufort, North Carolina Judith A. Resnik Mission Specialist Born - April 5, 1949 Birth place - Akron, Ohio Ronald E. McNair Mission Specialist Born - October 21, 1950 Birth place - Lake City, South Carolina Family - Wife, Cheryl, and two children Ellison S. Onizuka Mission Specialist Born - June 24, 1946 Birth place - Kealakekua, Kona, Hawaii Gregory B. Jarvis Payload Specialist Born - August 24, 1944 Birth place - Detroit, Michigan An engineer who worked for Hughes Aircraft Corp. Sharon Christa McAuliffe First teacher in space Born - September 2, 1948 Birth place - Boston, Massachusetts 

Photo Credit: NASA