Challenger 40th Anniversary

January 2026 marks the 40th anniversary of the Challenger STS-51L tragedy, an event that forever changed the course of space exploration and education. We invite our community to join us in honoring the astronauts, their dedication, and their enduring legacy.

The Mission Continues

To commemorate the 40th anniversary, we are launching the Challenger Legacy Campaign, an initiative to support programs and exhibits that continue the mission of the Challenger crew.

Your support will help us:

  • Upgrade our mission control facility to enhance the student experience
  • Create a permanent exhibit honoring the Challenger astronauts
  • Develop new educational programming centered on the Challenger mission and its lessons

By contributing, you help ensure that the legacy of the Challenger Crew continues to guide young explorers for generations to come.

Commemorative Events

January 10th – SCIturday: Christa’s Lost Lessons

10:00 AM – 2:00 PM | FREE

Experience hands-on activities inspired by Christa McAuliffe’s original lesson plans, designed to spark curiosity just as she intended.

January 11th – Storytime Under the Stars

6:00 PM – 7:00 PM | FREE

This monthly event will incorporate a special book reading that explores the story of Challenger and the people behind the mission.

January 12th – Challenger: The Final Flight Documentary Screening

6:00 PM – 9:00 PM | FREE

A powerful film experience that brings the mission, the crew, and their legacy into sharp and meaningful focus.

January 18th – Book Event at Midtown Reader

4:00 PM | FREE

This event is at Midtown Reader (1123 Thomasville Rd).

Join us for a reading of a passage from Adam Higginbotham’s Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space. Based on extensive archival research and metic­ulous, original reporting, this book follows a handful of central protagonists—including each of the seven members of the doomed crew—through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the inves­tigation afterward.

January 28 – 40th Anniversary Memorial Ceremony

11:00 AM – 2:00 PM | FREE

Gather to reflect, remember, and honor the seven astronauts who inspired a movement. The ceremony will include: A bell-ringing tribute, remarks from key Challenger supporters, and archival materials that offering a deeper look at the lives and legacies of the crew.