Thursday marks a solemn anniversary for the space community. On Jan. 28, 1986, seven astronauts were killed when the Challenger space shuttle exploded shortly after launch. The crew of the Challenger in a 1986 photo. Front L-R: Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, and Ronald E. McNair. Rear: Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik. NASA/AP Photo Among those on board was New Hampshire high school teacher Christa McAuliffe, who had been chosen by NASA to be the first teacher in space. She was going to work on the crew as a payload specialist. The other six crew members were payload specialist Gregory Jarvis, mission specialist Judith A. Resnik, mission commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, mission specialist Ronald E. McNair, pilot Mike J. Smith and mission specialist Ellison S. Onizuka.