WASHINGTON, D.C. – A silver dollar coin will honor a teacher and astronaut who was killed in the 1986 Challenger disaster.
President Donald Trump signed the Christa McAuliffe commemorative coin act of 2019 into law Wednesday. McAuliffe was chosen for NASA’s Teacher in Space program in the eighties.
She was supposed to film lessons in space that could be seen by students all across the country, but 73 seconds after takeoff on January 28, 1986, the shuttle broke apart and exploded. All seven crew members on board were killed.
In her honor, up to 350,000 one-dollar silver coins with her portrait will be issued. The coins will be minted in 2021 to commemorate the 35th anniversary of the tragedy.
Funds from the coin sales will benefit an organization called For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology.”
Some of McAuliffe’s lessons have been brought to life by other astronauts. They’re available online at challenger.org.