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Space Shuttle Challenger Fast Facts

Photo by NASA/Getty Images
Photo by NASA/Getty Images

(CNN)Here's a look at what you need to know about the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

Facts:
Seven crew members died in the explosion, including Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher in space.
The explosion was a result of a rocket booster failure which ignited the fuel tank.
Some of the objectives of Mission STS-51L included the "Comet Halley Active Monitoring Program" (CHAMP), a fluid dynamics experiment, and lesson plans and telecasts by Christa McAuliffe.
    Timeline:
    April 4, 1983 -     The Challenger's maiden voyage, STS-6. The Challenger completed nine successful missions between 1983 and 1986.
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    July 19, 1985 - New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe is chosen to be the first teacher in space.
    January 28, 1986 - The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds into flight at approximately 11:40 a.m. EST.
    Crew:
    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.
    Christa McAuliffe
    - First teacher in space
    - Born - September 2, 1948
    - Birth place - Boston, Massachusetts

      Photo by NASA/Getty Images
      Photo by NASA/Getty Images

      (CNN)Here's a look at what you need to know about the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster.

      Facts:
      Seven crew members       died in the explosion, including Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher in space.
      The explosion was a result of a rocket booster failure which ignited the fuel tank.
      Some of the objectives of Mission STS-51L included the "Comet Halley Active Monitoring Program" (CHAMP), a fluid dynamics experiment, and lesson plans and telecasts by Christa McAuliffe.
      Timeline:
      April 4, 1983 -       The Challenger's maiden voyage, STS-6. The Challenger completed nine successful missions between 1983 and 1986.
      Read More
      July 19, 1985 - New Hampshire teacher Christa McAuliffe is chosen to be the first teacher in space.
      January 28, 1986 - The Space Shuttle Challenger explodes 73 seconds into flight at approximately 11:40 a.m. EST.
      Crew:
      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.
      Christa McAuliffe
      - First teacher in space
      - Born - September 2, 1948
      - Birth place - Boston, Massachusetts