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Columbia Space Center to honor pioneering astronauts on 40th anniversary of Challenger mission
A computer rendering of the Inspiration' space shuttle mockup in its new Downey home
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Courtesy Columbia Memorial Space Center
)
Topline:
On Saturday the Columbia Memorial Space Center in Downey will honor the 40th anniversary of the loss of the Space Shuttle Challenger as well as other pioneering missions.
The backstory: The event will honor Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher ever selected to go to space as well as other pioneering women astronauts. McAuliffe and her six fellow crew members were lost when Space Shuttle Challenger exploded a little over a minute after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986.
What to expect: The free event will include hands-on activities – such as air rocket building –and a panel discussion with engineers who worked on the Challenger mission. A local retired teacher who was trained on the same curriculum that McAuliffe would have delivered from the shuttle will also give a talk about how she’s kept the legacy of the lost mission alive.
How to attend: The Astronaut Commemoration Day event will be at the Columbia Memorial Space Center at 12400 Columbia Way in Downey from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Go deeper... about the space shuttle model cleared for landing in Downey
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