posted 04-08-2008 02:31 AM               

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Challenger Center Hosts First Space Shuttle Pilot Robert L. Crippen Sharing His Reflections on Spaceflight

April 12th is an important day in the history of space exploration. On this day in 1961, the Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin became the first human to venture into space. It is also the day the United States launched the first Space Shuttle, Columbia, a new space transportation system (STS). To honor the historical importance of the achievements made in space exploration, Challenger Center joins in the celebration of "Yuri's Night" and is pleased to announce a series of interviews with individuals who have dedicated their lives towards inspiring, exploring and learning. We begin this series with Robert L. Crippen, Columbia's first pilot.

The goal of these interviews is to introduce individuals who have had a great impact in the world of exploration, and who, through their life stories are excellent role models for children. Astronauts Robert L. Crippen and John W. Young completed the first Space Shuttle mission STS-1 in 1981. It was the first orbital test flight of the Shuttle Columbia, the first true manned spaceship. Robert L. Crippen commanded three more shuttle missions and logged over 565 hours in space, orbited the earth 374 times and traveled over 9.4 million miles.

Challenger Center's Founding Chairman, Dr. June Scobee Rodgers, widow of Challenger 51-L Commander Dick Scobee had the privilege to interview Mr. Crippen. Dr. Rodgers encourages students of all ages, particularly middle school students, to listen to this and future podcasts. She firmly believes that students can benefit from these influential individuals' real life lessons, which embody the very qualities of trust, responsibility, respect, compassion, equality, and honor that resemble the characteristics to which young children should aspire. These life stories will be of interest to explorers of all ages. Please visit Challenger Center's website to access this and future podcasts for free.

Challenger Center is an international education organization founded by the families of the astronauts tragically lost during the last flight of the Challenger Space Shuttle in 1986. Through Challenger Center's network of 50 Challenger Learning Centers across the nation, and around the world, carry on the Challenger STS-51-L mission by providing educational workshops and space simulations to over 25,000 teachers and 400,000 students annually.

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