Challenger Crew Families Plan Learning Center

WASHINGTON —  Families of the Challenger crew members used a sixth-grade classroom Tuesday to unveil plans for a national space science education center in the nation’s capital that will serve as a “living tribute” to their loved ones.

“Obviously, we all wish that things had gone differently. That’s the way it went, and now the challenge is to make the best of it,” said Steven McAuliffe, the widower of teacher Sharon Christa McAuliffe, one of seven crew members killed when the space shuttle exploded on Jan. 28.

McAuliffe and other relatives of the crew spoke to about 20 Stevens Elementary School children.

Learn-by-Doing Facility

Although plans for the Challenger Center for Space Science Education are in their infancy, the families said they hope to make it a learn-by-doing facility for all U.S. youngsters, with scholarship and resident programs for students and their teachers.

“We felt a living tribute is more appropriate than a memorial of brick and mortar,” said June Scobee, the widow of Challenger commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee. She noted that the Challenger carried the first teacher in space, McAuliffe, who had planned to give lessons from the spacecraft to classes around the country.

Mrs. Scobee said the center will allow a youngster to act “just like you are an astronaut,” and will probably have a flight deck to reflect her husband’s love of flying.

Reflects Husband’s Ideals

Marcia Jarvis, 41, of Hermosa Beach, the widow of payload specialist Gregory B. Jarvis, said the center would properly honor her husband and reflect the ideals of a man who was “always questing for knowledge.”

Also attending was Charles Resnik, the brother of astronaut Judith A. Resnik.

The families have established the nonprofit Challenger Foundation to raise at least $1 million to start the project. A foundation spokesman said planners are hoping for a 1988 completion date, but emphasized it may take longer.