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Challenger Center
Steve Otten     Executive Director 222 Church Street
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Portrait of 51-L Crew

(from left to right) Ellison S. Onizuka, Michael J. Smith, S. Christa McAuliffe, Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, Commander, Gregory B. Jarvis, Judy A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair

STS-51L Mission Patch

crew bioagraphies

The Challenger space shuttle crew represented a cross section of the American population in terms of race, gender, geography, background, and religion.

Learn more about the lives of the seven crew members of Mission STS-51-L.

Mission Patch

While in training, the crew of every Space Transport System designs a patch that identifies its unique mission. Each member of the crew contributes to the patch design. The team uses color, shape, images, and text to represent different aspects of their mission.

The mission patch for flight 51-L offers symbols for its mission of education and flight. The shuttle is launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida; it encircles the planet to signify America's presence in space and to illustrate the nation's drive to explore the space frontier.

The shuttle's open cargo doors represent three mission objectives: to launch a communications satellite, collect data from Comet Halley, and conduct various scientific experiments. The apple next to Christa McAuliffe's name signifies her role as the first teacher in space, as well as the education component of the mission. Finally, the scene is encircled by the surnames of each of the seven crew members.