What is Challenger Center?

Challenger Center for Space Science Education is a not-for-profit education organization created in 1986 by the families of the astronauts from Challenger Space Shuttle mission STS-51-L. Dedicated to the educational spirit of that mission, Challenger Center develops Challenger Learning Centers and other educational programs worldwide to continue the mission of engaging students in science and mathematics education.

Challenger Centers network of Learning Centers throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom has been a recognized leader in educational simulation, with a strong standards-based emphasis. Challenger Learning Centers and Challenger Center’s award-winning classroom and teacher training programs use the excitement of space exploration to create positive learning experiences for students.

Our programs are designed to:

• Raise students expectations of success
• Develop critical communication, decision-making, team-building, and collaborative skills.

Why was Challenger Center created?

All seven crew members of mission STS-51-L were dedicated to education and reaching young people, which is one of the many reasons that Christa McAuliffe, America's first Teacher in Space, was such an integral part of the outstanding team of pilots, scientists, and professionals.

Although that mission ended in tragedy, and the worlds students were not able to see Mrs. McAuliffe teaching lessons from the ultimate classroom, the family members of the crew most wanted to continue their mission of education. Thanks to their efforts, Challenger Center has given young people the unique ability to experience the wonders of exploration in the same way the crew had.

Does Challenger Center partner with other organizations?

Challenger Center has established partnerships, relationships, and collaborations with many prestigious science and education organizations.

How many teachers and students do you reach?

Thousands of students and teachers take part in Challenger Center programs every year. Through community outreach, school-based programs, and our Challenger Learning Center simulators, we provide countless resources, educational materials, and training to the educational community. Highlights include:

• Over 500,000 students participate in all of the Challenger Learning Centers missions each year.
• Tens of thousands of students participate in after-school, summer, and weekend programs held at Challenger Learning Centers across the nation.
• 15,000 teachers are trained through the national Challenger Learning Center Network each year.
• Tens of thousands of students in Journey through the Universe communities are visited by scientists and researchers.
• MESSENGER Educator Fellows will conduct professional development workshops for a minimum of 120 teachers annually. Over the life of the MESSENGER program, which will last through 2015, more than 27,000 teachers are expected to be trained. This can translate into classroom activities for more than 1 million students nationally.

What is a Challenger Learning Center?

Challenger Learning Centers are technology-rich facilities located throughout the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Staffed by master teachers, the core of each Learning Center is an interactive computerized simulator with a Mission Control room patterned after the NASA Johnson Space Center and an orbiting Space Station ready for exploration.

Challenger Learning Centers are located in school districts, museums, science centers, and university campuses. It is here that students become astronauts and engineers, solving real-world problems as they share the thrill of discovery on missions through the Solar System.

What types of programs/products does Challenger Center offer?

Challenger Center offers a wide-range of programs, including classroom kits, family learning events, and exhibits. We invite you to learn more about our programs here.

• Classroom and school-based programs include Cosmic EdVentures and Vista Station. A variety of online resources and activities are also available, such as the annual Space Day Design Challenges.
• Family Science Nights are conducted in cooperation with the Smithsonian National Air & Space Museum.
• Voyage: A Journey through our Solar System, is an exhibit that lets visitors to the National Air & Space Museum in Washington, D.C., to walk through a scale model of the Solar System.

How does your research impact the educational projects you work on?

The fields of science and education are changing all the time, with new discoveries made every day and new understandings of best practices in education. It is helpful to participate in the research process to remain current as we develop curriculum, to be sure we reflect the most up-to-date information and practices. Conducting research also gives us a better understanding of the hot topics in science and education, enabling us to ensure that these are addressed in new materials.

What advice do you give to students interested in a career in science?

In school, the most important thing is to do well in all topics, but especially in mathematics and science. You also want to cultivate your interest in science, by reading and learning as much as you can, from books, scientific web sites, science TV programs, etc. If you have universities, research organizations, or NASA centers nearby, you may want to see if they offer internships to high school students. Many do, and it's a great way to spend a summer learning about what scientists do, and in many cases you get to do actual science, the results of which may be published in a scientific journal.

In most areas of science, a Ph.D. degree is a requirement to be a proper scientist, so that is your goal in your studies in college. As an undergraduate, you’ll learn about a variety of subjects, but in graduate school you concentrate on the scientific area of your interest. And there are some careers in science (such as lab assistants or computer scientists supporting telescopes operations) that do not require an advanced degree. It really depends on what level of involvement in scientific research you are interested in.

This looks like a long process, and it does take some time, but the main thing to remember is that if you are enjoying what you do, you have a lot of fun. Take each step as it comes, learn a lot about anything and everything that sounds exciting, make the right choices at the right times, and before you know it, you have reached your goal of having a career in science.

Do you conduct your research at Challenger Center headquarters, or do you work with other organizations?

Some of the scientists at Challenger Center work at Challenger Center headquarters, while some of them work with other organizations, such as the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center. In all cases, the scientists collaborate with other scientists in a variety of institutions—NASA centers, research organizations, and universities.