This January, New Hampshire Public Radio marks the 40th anniversary of the Challenger shuttle disaster with a multi-part series honoring the life, impact, and enduring legacy of Christa McAuliffe, New Hampshire’s teacher-astronaut.
The Challenger anniversary falls on Wednesday, January 28, 2026 and throughout the month NHPR will share personal stories from those whose lives were shaped by Christa, her mission, and the tragedy that reverberated across the nation.
Produced by NHPR’s Patrick McNameeKing, the multipart series will air each Wednesday in January across NHPR’s flagship news programs: Morning Edition, Here & Now, and All Things Considered. Each piece will feature sound-rich oral histories with minimal narration—inviting listeners to experience the emotional landscape of those who remember Christa not only as a national figure, but as a teacher, colleague, mentor, and inspiration.
These intimate first-person accounts will explore themes of community, loss, courage, and the powerful influence Christa McAuliffe continues to have on education and civic imagination 40 years later. The series will also draw from archival material and listener memories, offering a shared space for reflection and remembrance.
Across the month, NHPR will highlight:
- Personal recollections from New Hampshire residents who witnessed the events of January 1986 and felt Christa’s impact in their own lives.
- Archival audio from local reporting at the time, along with listener-submitted memories.
- Stories that trace Christa’s influence forward, celebrating how her legacy continues to shape science education, community engagement, and the next generation of explorers and dreamers.
NHPR is also collaborating with the team behind The Big Question— NHPR’s community-powered project where we ask listeners a question about life in New Hampshire, gather their responses, and feature selected voices on air or online.
NHPR wants to know: How has Christa McAuliffe’s legacy touched your life?
This special partnership invites audiences to share how Christa McAuliffe’s story has touched their lives, further expanding the collective memory of her legacy.
NHPR may use your comments on the air, or reach out to you to get more information.
By weaving together voices from across the state, NHPR aims to honor Christa McAuliffe’s extraordinary legacy with the care, depth, and humanity it deserves.
About Christa McAuliffe and the Challenger:
Christa McAuliffe was a social studies teacher from Concord, New Hampshire, selected as the first private citizen and educator to travel to space through NASA’s Teacher in Space program. On January 28, 1986, she and six other crew members tragically lost their lives when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after launch. McAuliffe’s dedication to education, curiosity, and inspiring students has left an enduring legacy that continues to influence science education and space exploration.
