The Female Astronauts Lost to Time: How Nasa’s Space Shuttle Tragedies Changed Both the Space Program and the Role of Women in Stem

The views expressed are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of ASPA as an organization.

By Andrew Vaz
January 31, 2025

You knew where you were on January 28^th, 1986—the day the space shuttle Challenger exploded killing all 7 crew members, including the winner of the Teacher in Space contest Christa McAuliffe (1948-1986), and mission specialist Judith Resnik (1949-1986). A social studies teacher from New Hampshire, McAuliffe was selected amongst thousands of educators to become the first civilian teacher in space. With school children watching all over the country that fateful morning, the Challenger tragedy left a lasting impression on their minds. It wouldn’t be for another 17 years until another space shuttle tragedy shook the nation.

On February 1^st, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia was destroyed upon reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Columbia’s 7 crew members, including Kalpana Chawla (1962-2003), were tragically killed. Chawla, the first Indian American woman to reach outer space, was on her second space mission with the space shuttle Columbia. Along with Chawla aboard the space shuttle Columbia was mission specialist Laurel Clark (1961-2003). This was sadly Clark’s only spaceflight. In the wake of their tragic flights, the NASA space program endured grueling inspections and debates on its existence. Eventually, the space shuttle program would be retired on August 31, 2011.

Rather than look at the biographies of each of the lost astronauts mentioned earlier, this article will observe the actions taken by NASA to continue the space program and how each of the fallen astronaut’s research carried on after their tragic deaths.

Christa McAuliffe’s Lost Lessons

Christa McAuliffe was chosen to be the first teacher in space. Due to the tragic space shuttle Challenger disaster in January of 1986, McAuliffe did not film the science lessons in space as intended. Educators-turned-astronauts, Joe Acaba and Ricky Arnold, spent the 2017-18 school year aboard the International Space Station for A Year of Education on Station. As a tribute to McAuliffe and her legacy, Acaba and Arnold completed her mission. The demonstrations were filmed aboard the International Space Station and corresponding lessons were developed for classrooms.

Barbara Morgan, the runner-up in the Teacher in Space contest, became the designee after McAuliffe’s death. She flew aboard the space shuttle Endeavor in 2007—becoming the first teacher in space.

In September 2024, a statue of McAuliffe was installed on the grounds of the New Hampshire State Capitol. This event coincided with what would have been her 76^th birthday. As we approach the 40^th anniversary of the Challenger Space Shuttle tragedy in January of 2026, more tributes will be made for the fallen astronaut and her crew, which included Judith Resnik – the first Jewish woman to fly into space.

Judith Resnik Memorial Scholarship

While each of these astronauts is accomplished, Dr. Resnik appears to be on a different level of prowess. Her academic pursuits comprised a perfect SAT score and a PhD in Electrical Engineering.

The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) established the Judith Resnik Memorial Scholarship in 1990. This award has helped dozens of remarkable, young women reach for the stars in their own lives, as they have pursued undergraduate degrees in aerospace and astronautical engineering.

Laurel Clark’s Research and Legacy

Clark’s first, and last, assignment as an astronaut was on Space Shuttle Columbia, similar to Christa McAuliffe and the Space Shuttle Challenger. On Columbia’s mission, Clark was studying gravity and its effect on humans. Additionally, she gardened in space to study gene transfer in plants. Her legacy is that of adventure and the curiosity that it brings. Dr. Clark faced the unknown with poise and grace that is endearing to behold.

UW-Madison continues to honor her memory with a scholarship. It was established after her death by the then-dean of the university’s medical school. Her legacy is also celebrated in the Wisconsin Alumni Association’s Alumni Park. The park is located between Memorial Union and the Red Gym on the UW-Madison campus. 

Kalpana Chawla’s Legacy of Inspiring Women of Color in Stem

In 2004, Dr. Chawla was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor. As the first woman of Indian descent to travel into space, Dr. Chawla had a passion for flight and aeronautics. She also pushed for more women of color to pursue careers in STEM. She always believed that anyone could follow in their dreams, as long as they had a strong will and determination.

In her honor, the government in India set up a medical college and hospital in her hometown of Karnal, along with a planetarium in her name. The government of Karnataka also instituted the Kalpna Chawla Award in 2003 to recognize women scientists. In addition, India’s first weather satellite, the Kalpana 1, was also named after her. At the University of Texas at El Paso (UTEL), the Indian Students Association (ISA) launched the Kalpana Chawla Memorial Scholarship program. The University of Texas also dedicated a memorial to Chawla at the Arlington College of Engineering in 2010.

Conclusion

You knew where you were on January 28^th, 1986. I was a about month old when the Challenger Space Shuttle exploded after liftoff. You knew where you were also when the Columbia Space Shuttle disintegrated upon reentry into the earth’s atmosphere on February 1^st, 2003. Now, you will know the impacts of these four incredible women who made the ultimate sacrifice to advance science and break down barriers for women and girls in STEM.  

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Author: Andrew R. Vaz, Ph.D. is a graduate of the Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration program at Walden University, specializing in Public Management and Leadership. He was already awarded a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in the program. He is also a graduate of the Master of Science in Criminal Justice (MSCJ) and Master of Public Administration (MPA) double master’s program at Florida International University. He can be reached at [email protected]. 

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