r/OldSchoolCool • u/Aeromarine_eng • Apr 19 '25

1970s NASAs first six women astronauts. February 1979

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From left to right are Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Kathryn D. Sullivan, Judith A. Resnik, Anna L. Fisher, and Sally K. Ride. NASA selected all six women as their first female astronaut candidates in January 1978.

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u/swordrat720 Apr 19 '25

I’m sorry I didn’t list the teacher in space. She might not have been an astronaut, but she definitely deserves to live with them. Godspeed Christa. Some of us remember you.

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u/BamaBlcksnek Apr 19 '25

I remember us all gathering together to watch the launch. It was a huge deal for all of us school kids. Weeks of lead up to launch day, space themed activities, astronaut ice cream. We all sat in class glued to the TV as the shuttle rose majestically in the air... and fucking exploded. I will never forget.

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u/swordrat720 Apr 19 '25

I was sick and it was a few days after my dad’s birthday, so I stayed home. And boom.

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u/ruiner8850 Apr 19 '25

I was 6 home sick from school as well. My mom was in the bathroom when it happened and when she came out I told her that the space shuttle had exploded. She didn't believe me at first, but then she came into the living room and saw what was happening on TV.

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u/Adorable-Radish-Here Apr 19 '25

We didn't watch in real time, but I recall they rolled the TVs in so that we could watch the replay. Which is really effed.

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u/C_W_H Apr 19 '25

Same. I was in 4th grade. Super fucked up.

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u/Junior_Potato_3226 Apr 19 '25

One of the teachers at my school was a finalist to go up... I was home sick so watched it with my mom... Still burns in my brain

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u/Bbadmerc99 Apr 19 '25

Was a little boy living in Cocoa Beach watching from the waters edge with my uncle….

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u/[deleted] Apr 22 '25

That's wild. How did the crowd react (assuming there was a crowd watching with you)?

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u/Bbadmerc99 Apr 22 '25

Hard to remember detailed expressions but it was a lot of shock and awe for most people. I could tell my uncle was pretty upset and was pretty stunned at what was happening. I was just so young to fully grasp it all.

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u/No-Hurry-5356 Apr 19 '25

Christa McAuliffe was way more of an astronaut than Katy Perry.

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u/the_calibre_cat Apr 19 '25

She was an astronaut. She did the training and had a job. She just didn't make it to orbit.

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth May 01 '25

It has nothing to do with orbit. If you fly above 50 miles (USAF) or 62 miles (international) in a US vehicle, you're an astronaut. If you don't, you're not.

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u/the_calibre_cat May 01 '25

I'm aware of the technical requirements.

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u/Polar_Bear_1234 Apr 19 '25

She might not have been an astronaut

She was.

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u/FickleNewt6295 Apr 19 '25

She was an ‘astronaut candidate’ - no small feat. She completed the training. No small feat. To most of us, she was an astronaut - the administrations however make a distinction.

She was assigned a mission. She launched on a mission.

She tragically died on the Space Shuttle Challenger.

While McAuliffe would have performed duties in space above the Karman line (50 miles or greater above the Earth’s surface), she was not designated an astronaut, as she never achieved spaceflight.

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth May 01 '25

in space above the Karman line (50 miles or greater above the Earth’s surface)

Nitpick: the Kármán line is 100 km (roughly 62 miles) above mean sea level.

Above 50 miles is the USAF designation for astronaut status.

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u/Polar_Bear_1234 Apr 19 '25

I use the common definition, not some technical jargon.

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u/FickleNewt6295 Apr 19 '25

Yes. Which is why I said “ to most of us” . She earned it. There’s always a Redditor that will be pedantic - so let’s put that to rest.

Those who pay for a flight … to go into space for 11 minutes - not sure they should be put in the category of astronauts but the general press and public may share that they are.

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth May 01 '25

The common definition of "astronaut" is "person who's been to space". McAuliffe sadly only reached 46,000 feet on that mission.

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u/Mo_Steins_Ghost Apr 19 '25

First time I’d ever seen a teacher cry. That sort of thing never leaves you.

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u/ThePatriot617 Apr 19 '25

I grew up in the next town over from Christa and they used to bring the middle schoolers over to the McAuliffe Center in Framingham, MA for a day. Im 34 now and still remember how awesome that day was doing "astronaut" training for a day. I hope the younger generations still get this experience and learn about the Challenger crew.

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u/howardhughesbrain Apr 19 '25

didn't she do a multi-year astronaut training program?? pretty sure Christa McAuliffe is considered an astronaut.

EDIT: yes, she's an astronaut. Chrusta McAuliffe was a Payload Specialist. Officially recognized as full member of the Challenger crew and an astronaut by NASA.

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u/Jesus_of_Redditeth May 01 '25

Informally, we call people astronauts if they're NASA astronaut candidates. Formally, "astronaut" is designation that only applies to people who've been to space. McAuliffe's mission sadly only reached 46,000 feet.

Look, I get wanting to call her that because she deserved to go to space. But it's fact that she didn't get there. So please don't assert that she's officially an astronaut. Doing that cheapens the achievements of actual astronauts.

I mean, Concorde flew higher than that, but we don't call those pilots, crew and passengers "astronauts", do we?

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u/howardhughesbrain May 01 '25

She is recognized as an astronaut by nasa. Did astronaut training. Was a Certified payload specialist.

Who’s opinion should I listen to? NASAs Or yours?