August 21, 2007, AP
The space shuttle's crew of seven, including teacher-astronaut Barbara Morgan, returned to Earth on Tuesday, wrapping up a dramatic mission.
August 8, 2007, AP
Barbara Morgan will be cheered on by more than half of the educators who competed for the chance to fly in the doomed space shuttle Challenger two decades ago.
July 11, 2007
Barbara R. Morgan and the crew of the space shuttle Endeavour will conduct a variety of educational activities on an 11 day mission.
April 11, 2006
When the U.S. space agency pinned badges on the 11 newest members of its astronaut corps this winter, it also increased by three its cadre of educator astronauts.
April 9, 2003
Once Barbara R. Morgan enters orbit, she'll be monitoring pictures of Earth, preparing astronauts to walk in space, and eventually assisting the space shuttle's flight team as it lands the craft.
January 29, 2003
For the second time in its history, America's space agency will begin recruiting teachers to fly into space and conduct lessons for schoolchildren nationwide.
April 24, 2002
NASA plans to launch a new type of astronaut, "the educator mission specialist," who has completed the same rigorous training as astronauts with specialties in engineering, physics, or medicine.
June 3, 1998
Even though he wasn't selected to be the nation's first teacher in space, Art Kimura saw his participation as a way to stand up for his state.
June 3, 1998
NASA charged the 112 teachers who were also in the running for Christa McAuliffe's seat on the Challenger with carrying the vision of space discovery back to their home states.
June 3, 1998
For Susan Darnell Ellis, NASA's teacher-in-space program offered her a way out of rural western Kentucky, where she was born and bred, went to school and college, and started her teaching career.
January 28, 1998
NASA began internal discussions on including private citizens in the space shuttle program in 1982.
January 28, 1998
In tapping Idaho schoolteacher Barbara R. Morgan to become a full-fledged astronaut, NASA opened the space-faring profession to educators to a degree never before seen.
February 3, 1993
Seven years after the Challenger disaster, NASA continues to face the difficult political question of whether it will—or even should—honor its commitment to again fly a professional educator aboard the orbiter.
February 19, 1986
While investigations of the Challenger disaster intensified, NASA announced that Idaho teacher Barbara R. Morgan had been invited to follow in Sharon Christa McAuliffe’s footsteps and become the first U.S. civilian in space.
February 12, 1986
Despite protests from many groups, NASA placed all educational activities associated with the ill-fated teacher-in-space project on hold after the Challenger explosion.
February 12, 1986
Americans of all ages responded to the space-shuttle tragedy by joining in efforts to memorialize the seven lost astronauts and to keep alive their pioneering spirit.
February 5, 1986
Sharon Christa McAuliffe, who was to be the first teacher and the first “ordinary person” in space, died with six other crew members of the shuttle Challenger when it exploded 10 miles above the Florida coast.
February 5, 1986
Education Week reporter Blake Rodman's first-hand account of the Challenger explosion.
January 29, 1986
Observers groaned as NASA announced that, once again, the countdown for the space shuttle Challenger’s historic mission would be delayed.
December 11, 1985
Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the Concord, N.H., high-school teacher slated to orbit the earth beginning Jan. 22, will teach two televised lessons from space—both beamed live by satellite to cable and public-television channels.
May 22, 1985
The Council of Chief State School Officers, the group chosen to coordinate the selection of the teacher who will fly on a space-shuttle mission, named the 114 candidates who will be considered for the journey.
