McAuliffe - Scobee - Smith - McNair - Onizuka - Resnik and Jarvis

In Memory - David M Jones

There are moments when you just have to walk away and cry. Lou Angeli

The vast lunar crater Apollo has a diameter of 538 km and is situated on the far side of the Moon. Within its embrace there are seven special smaller craters that stand today as memorials to seven courageous mortals who had one thing in common; they died catastrophically, together, on January 28^th, 1986.  These craters are: McAuliffe – Scobee - Smith - McNair - Onizuka - Resnik and Jarvis.  The crew perished just 73 seconds into launch, with the world looking on, when the Challenger Space Shuttle tragically disintegrated.  This small article may serve as a brief tribute to those seven brave souls, and if nothing else, give them more than ‘just a name’. 

Sharon Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986), a 38 year old American Junior High School teacher.  Sharon is probably best remembered as being ‘the first teacher in space’.  She was selected from more than 11,000 applicants to take part in the NASA Teacher in Space program.  Her official position on STS 51-L Space Shuttle Challenger was that of Payload Specialist (PS).  Her specific tasks were to have been to conduct experiments and teach two lessons from space.  STS-51-L was the twenty-fifth flight of the American Space Shuttle program, and marked the first time a civilian had flown aboard the Space Shuttle.  McAuliffe has had many facilities named in her honour in the USA.  On July 23^rd, 2004, she was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor by President George W, Bush. 

Francis Richard “Dick” Scobee, (1939-1986), was the commander of the Space Shuttle Challenger.  Scobee enlisted in the USAF in 1957.  He first served as a reciprocating engine mechanic; a world away from space rocketry.  Whilst off duty, Scobee studied at San Antonio College (a community college).  In 1965 Scobee received a Bachelor of Science degree in Aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona.  In that same year he also received an officer commission from the USAF.   Dick Scobee attended flight school, earning his wings in 1966, serving as a combat aviator in the Vietnam War.  As with many who become astronauts, Scobee’s career path followed that of the intrepid test pilot.  Dick Scobee was picked for NASA’s astronaut program in January 1978 and completed his training in August 1979. Scobee was promoted to the role of space craft commander for the fateful Challenger flight.  His last recorded words were: "Roger, go at throttle up".  In 2004, Scobee was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor and the Purple Heart medal.

Michael J Smith, (1945-1986) was a married man with three children.  He graduated from Beaufort High School, Beaufort, North Carolina, in 1963; received a Bachelor of Science degree in Naval Science from the United States Naval Academy in 1967 and a Master of Science degree in Aeronautical Engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1968.  Michael was a career naval aviator.  After completing his aviation jet training at Kingsville, Texas in 1969, he was assigned to the Advanced Jet Training Command (VT-21), where he served as an instructor. Throughout a distinguished career, he saw service in Vietnam, qualified as a US Navy test pilot, cooperated in the development of the  A-6E (attack aircraft) and Cruise missile guidance systems, worked as an instructor, and flew twenty-eight different types of military and civilian aircraft; logging 4,867.7 hours of flying time.  He was selected for the NASA Space Program in May 1980, qualifying as a space shuttle pilot after a year of training. Had he lived, Smith would have piloted Shuttle mission 61-N, tabled to launch in the autumn of 1986.  Michael Smith’s honours include: The Defence Distinguished Service Medal (posthumous), Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, 3 Air Medals, 13 Strike Flight Air Medals, and the Navy Commendation Medal with "V", the Navy Unit Citation, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star. 

Dr Ronald Ervin McNair (1950-1986), physicist and astronaut.  Unlike Smith and Scobee, McNair was not a career pilot or a military man.  He is perhaps best described as an academic who had great musical talent.  In 1971, he received a bachelor’s degree in physics (magna cum laude).  In 1976 he received his PhD in Physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, so becoming nationally recognised for his work in the field of laser physics.  In addition, McNair received three honorary doctorates, numerous fellowships and commendations; and on top of his academic accolades he also achieved a black belt in karate.  After graduating from MIT, he became a staff physicist the Hughes Research Laboratory in Malibu California.  In 1978, he was selected from a pool of ten thousand for the NASA astronaut program; he flew on STS-41-B, aboard Challenger in February 1984, as a mission specialist.  He became only the second African American to fly in space.  As history recalls, he was later selected for the fateful flight STS-51-L.  His task on the mission was linked to the Music in Space program.  McNair, a very accomplished saxophonist, was to have recorded a saxophone solo, which would have made it the first original piece of music to have been recorded in space.

Ellison S. Onizuka (Lieutenant Colonel USAF) (1946-1986) – survived by his wife, Lorna, and two daughters.  Born and educated in Hawaii, Onizuka graduated from Konawaena High School, in 1964.  He received Bachelor and Master of Science degrees in Aerospace Engineering in June and December 1969, respectively, from the University of Colorado.  Another defence career crew member, Ellison embarked on active duty with the USAF in January 1970.  He pursued a distinguished career as an aerospace flight test engineer and participated in many flight test programs.   In July 1975, he was assigned to the USAF Test Centre at Edwards Air Force Base, where his duties involved instruction of USAF Test Pilot School courses, and management of all flight test modifications to general support fleet aircraft.  He is recorded as logging more than 1,700 hours flying time.   Selected as a candidate by NASA in January of 1978, Onizuka logged a total of seventy-four hours of space flight time before the disastrous STS-51-L Challenger flight.  His honours include the Air Force Commendation Medal, Air Force Meritorious Service Medal, Air Force Outstanding Unit Award, Air Force Organisational Excellence Award, and the National Defence Service Medal.   He was posthumously promoted to the rank of Colonel, and posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honour. 

Dr Judith Arlene Resnik PhD (1949 –1986) was an American engineer and a NASA astronaut. She is often shown floating in weightlessness, with her unforgettable shock of black hair.  At the time it was taken, this photo caused quite a stir for viewers more used to seeing ‘crew-cut’ males in space.  She has the honour of being the first Jewish woman in space.  Judith was recruited into the astronaut program in January 1978; her first space flight was as a mission specialist on the maiden voyage of Discovery, from August to September 1984.  It was during this flight Resnik’s sense of humour came to the fore; she gained a reputation for her weightless acrobatics, and she once held up a sign reading ‘Hi Dad’ to the camera.  Since her death, Resnik has been awarded many posthumous honours. Numerous public buildings and facilities have been named after her, mostly schools and educational facilities, including a dormitory at her alma mater, Carnegie Mellon, and the main engineering lecture hall at the University of Maryland.

Gregory Bruce Jarvis (1944-1986) – Air Force Captain Rtd.  Jarvis had a B.S. in Electrical Engineering, and also gained a Masters in Electrical Engineering in 1969.  He joined the USAF also in 1969, completing his period of service in 1973; he was honourably discharged with the rank of Captain.  On returning to ‘Civy Street’ he went to work for Hughes Aircraft.  Jarvis was selected as a Payload Specialist for flight STS-51-L.  About six weeks after the disaster, the remains of the crew decks were discovered on the ocean bed.  Gregory Jarvis’ remains were discovered in the lower mid-deck, with the remains of McNair and McAuliffe.  During recovery, the remains escaped from the debris.  His body was rediscovered during a final recovery attempt and eventually returned to shore.  Gregory Jarvis was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honour in 2004. 

In concluding this article, I can only comment that whilst a lunar site for these seven memorials is fitting, the fact that they lie on the far side of the Moon – facing forever towards the darkness of space, seems somewhat incongruous and melancholy in its complete isolation.  One can only hope that - ‘out of sight’ - is never - ‘out of mind’ – for this glaring human failure that cost the lives of seven worthy people.

Refs:

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