Planned to study Comet Halley in January 1986 Explosion of this spacecraft during launch 73 seconds into flight due to a leak in one of the Solid Rocket Boosters which ignited the main liquid fuel tank 7 astronauts died

Represented a variety of race, gender, background and religion Included a Navy officer and a teacher The crew of the shuttle mission was: –Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, Judith Resnik, Ellison Onizuka, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis, and Sharon Christa McAuliffe

Originally funded by the families of the Challenger Crew Members Visitors role-play a flight scenario –You are transformed into scientists and engineers who work in teams to problem solve dilemmas of space travel –You are working like astronauts do on REAL MISSIONS

Continue the mission of the Challenger Crew by resuming the study of Comet Halley The year: 2061 –Comet Halley orbits the sun every 76 years –As it passes near the planets Earth and Mars we will study the comet from an Earth-orbiting Space Station

Learn more about the beginning or our universe Comet’s orbital mechanics may help us learn more about principles of gravity Learn more about the Sun by studying its effects on comets

Trip begins with transport of astronaut crew to Space Station Power up engines that send Space Station into long, elliptical orbit around Earth Half-way between the orbits of Earth and Mars we anticipate locating Comet Halley

While searching for Comet Halley, the crew will construct a space probe that can be launched through the gaseous tails of the comet Be able to take pictures of the comet and collect materials for further analysis

Half-way through mission: crew transfer –Students in Mission Control (on left) will get on board the Space Station –Students in the Space Station will go into Mission Control

Hopefully achieve closest encounter with Comet Halley Send probe through the tails of the comet Goal: –To rendezvous with the comet –Launch the probe into its tail –Collect new data from the probe’s instruments