Witness History

The Challenger space shuttle tragedy

Jan 22, 2026
Barbara Morgan, a former schoolteacher and NASA astronaut, shares her firsthand experiences as the backup for Christa McAuliffe on the ill-fated Challenger mission. She recalls the rigorous training with the Challenger crew and the emotional impact of watching the launch that ended in tragedy. Morgan reflects on the national mourning that followed and the lessons learned from the investigation into the disaster, offering a personal glimpse into a moment that deeply affected America and shaped the future of space exploration.
Ask episode
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
ANECDOTE

Watching The Launch Go Wrong

  • Barbara Morgan watched Challenger's launch and immediately felt something was wrong as debris fell from the vehicle.
  • She describes the launch turning from excitement to confusion and devastation for families watching.
ANECDOTE

The National Teacher Selection

  • Barbara describes watching Reagan announce the teacher program and applying among 11,000 teachers to NASA's selection.
  • She remembers her husband asking 'why a teacher?' and feeling a teacher was a perfect choice for the role.
ANECDOTE

Chosen As Teacher Backup

  • Barbara Morgan recounts training and becoming Krista McAuliffe's backup after a national teacher selection process.
  • She describes the bond with finalists and how Krista was quiet, friendly, and engaging during workshops.
Get the Snipd Podcast app to discover more snips from this episode
Get the app