Skip to: Content
Skip to: Site Navigation
Skip to: Search

August 21, 2008 8:13:24 AM CDT

Learn about Newser Points »

« Back to the grid | Next story »

US Teacher Headed for Space

Posted Aug 6, 07 8:02 AM CDT in World,  US,  Science & Health,  Arts & Living 

(Newser) – NASA is sending another schoolteacher into space, 21 years after the Challenger disaster killed educator Christa McAuliffe. Barbara Morgan, a former Idaho schoolteacher and now a fully trained astronaut, will spend most of the trip transferring cargo to the International Space Station and about six hours on educational pursuits. When she returns, she'll develop a curriculum based on her experience.

Morgan, who trained with McAuliffe, was asked to become NASA's "Teacher In Space," but a policy change banned civilians after the explosion. Morgan, 55, says her dream job is still teaching, but agreed to become an astronaut because she wanted to show kids that adults "do the right thing" in challenging situations.

Source Reuters

0 comments | Print E-mail | Digg Seed this on Newsvine Add this link to Del.icio.us StumbleUpon

Related Newser Stories

  • There's a New Space Race, and US Is Losing

    Jul 9, 08 2:19 PM CDT
    There's a New Space Race, and US Is Losing While the rest of the world cooperates incessantly on all matters extraterrestrial, the US, hampered by self-imposed regulations meant to keep weapons out of enemies' hands, is swiftly losing dominance of the final frontier, the Washington Post reports. The US’ military space program is still gargantuan, but the civil program, NASA included, suffers from “limited public interest in space activity.” More »

  • Discovery Returns to Earth

    Jun 14, 08 12:30 PM CDT
    Discovery Returns to Earth The space shuttle Discovery swooped back to Earth today after successfully expanding the International Space Station, the AP reports. The shuttle’s seven crew members delivered Kibo, the new billion-dollar Japanese science lab, and a pump to repair a broken toilet. Discovery also brought home flight engineer Garret Reisman, who’d talked of missing his wife, calling her “my favorite earthling.” More »

  • Discovery's New Fuel Tank Passes With Flying Colors

    Jun 2, 08 3:33 AM CDT
    Discovery's New Fuel Tank Passes With Flying Colors The Discovery shuttle launch Saturday marked the first use of a new fuel tank designed after flaws led to the 2003 Columbia disaster, Space.com reports, and tests yesterday showed the new design to be successful. The external tank, designed to minimize the release of falling debris  during launch, shed a few pieces of foam, but "performed in a magnificent fashion," said a NASA mission manager. More »

  • Discovery Launches, With Kibo Aboard

    May 31, 08 4:31 PM CDT
    Discovery Launches, With Kibo Aboard The space shuttle Discovery blasted into a clear blue sky today, carrying Kibo, a huge Japanese laboratory for the International Space Station. The $1 billion lab will be the station’s biggest room. “This is a real milestone,” said one NASA administrator. The Discovery is also bringing a replacement for the station’s broken toilet, rush-ordered from Moscow. More »

  • NASA Deploys Mars Probe's Robotic Arm

    May 29, 08 1:00 PM CDT
    NASA Deploys Mars Probe's Robotic Arm NASA’s Phoenix Mars lander extended its robotic arm for the first time late last night, the AP reports, a day late because of a temporary radio blackout. The arm, which will unfurl over a 2-day period, will eventually be used to take samples of ice below the surface in Mars’ arctic regions to search for evidence of life. More »

The crew of the space shuttle Endeavour, from left, commander Scott J. Kelly, mission specialist Alvin Drew Jr, pilot Charles Hobaugh, mission specialists Dafydd Williams, of the Canadian Space Agency,...   (Associated Press)
Space Shuttle Endeavour mission specialist and teacher turned astronaut Barbara Morgan smiles during a media gathering after arriving at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fl. Friday, Aug. 3,...   (Associated Press)
Space Shuttle Endeavour mission specialists Dafydd Williams, right, of the Canadian Space Agency and teacher turned astronaut Barbara Morgan walk away from a media gathering after arriving at the Kennedy...   (Associated Press)
The Endeavour's crew.   (Associated Press)
Endeavour mission Specialists Dafydd Williams of the Canadian Space Agency, left,and school teacher turned astronaut Barbara Morgan arrive at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fl. Friday, Aug....   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour mission specialist Barbara Morgan, front, and mission specialist Alvin Drew Jr. leave the Operation and Check-out Building to perform training exercises at launch pad 39a at Kennedy...   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour mission specialist Barbara Morgan smiles as she is introduced at a press conference at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla., July 18, 2007. The Endeavour launch is...   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour mission specialist Barbara Morgan, leaves the Operation and Check-out Building with the rest of the STS-118 crew, to perform training exercises at launch pad 39a at the Kennedy...   (Associated Press)
Space shuttle Endeavour Mission Specialist Barbara Morgan, left, listens to fellow Mission Specialist Benjamin Drew Jr., right, during an STS-118 crew news conference Wednesday, July 11, 2007 in Houston....   (Associated Press)
Graphic of NASA logo.   (Associated Press)
« Prev« Prev | Next »Next » Slideshow
Our editors also recommend:

Threads (1 of 2)

Tags

NASA  • International Space Station  • space  • space shuttle  • space exploration  • Barbara Morgan  • Christa McAuliffe


Loading...

Premium Articles from HighBeam

Find more articles like this

Today's Most Popular


Other Home Stories

What is Newser?

2008 Codie Finalist

Newser gives you more news in less time. We search for the best and most important stories all over the web, read them for you, and deliver concise and sharp summaries—along with links to the full text. Newser provides a way to stay on top of an ever-expanding horizon of news and opinion—politics, sports, business, trends, technology, personalities, crimes, and controversies. Newser keeps you not just better informed, but, with our signature graphic interface and smart condensed format, more enjoyably informed.

Learn more »