Astronaut's Widow Says Risk Is Worth The Rewards

Exploration reaps benefits for all involved -- whether they go on the trip or stay at home. Yet there are risks inherent in all forms of exploration that accompany these benefits. You could argue no one knows this better than June Scobee Rodgers, founding Chairman of the Challenger Center for Space Education... and widow of STS-51L commander Dick Scobee, who along with six other spacefarers perished in the January 28, 1986 explosion of the space shuttle Challenger.

Rodgers related her experiences at a symposium held last weekend at Louisiana State University titled "Risk and Exploration: Earth as a Classroom." The Challenger Center for Space Science Education was one of the organizational sponsors of this event.

The event was targeted toward space, oceanic and terrestrial explorers, as well as others who encounter risk in their daily lives, including entrepreneurs, firefighters, and police. The event provided a forum for the discussion of various risk-taking philosophies, with the hope that such groups will gain a greater appreciation for the similarities and differences of their respective activities.

Along with the families of the crew of Challenger, Rodgers has sought to bring the dreams that motivated Dick Scobee and his crew to a new generation of students. In the past 20 years hundreds of thousands of students have had a chance to see what it is like to work on space missions and improve their math and science skills through simulated missions at Challenger Centers across the US, Canada, Europe and Asia.

Two decades of hard work came full circle this past summer when Educator Astronaut Barbara Morgan flew on a Space Shuttle mission to the International Space Station and completed the teaching mission begun by Christa McAuliffe 21 years ago.

"Risk and Exploration" was held on the LSU campus with the generous financial sponsorship of the Northrop Grumman Corporation. A check for $100,000 was presented to LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe by Northrop Grumman at the opening session of this conference.

Among the featured speakers were Apollo 8 Astronaut William Anders, former NASA Administrator and LSU Chancellor Sean O'Keefe, noted mountaineer and author Kenneth Kammler, legendary explorer Jim Fowler, X Prize founder Peter Diamandis, and CNN anchor Miles O'Brien.

The event was also supported by financial contributions by Aerojet Corporation and by four organizations devoted to learning and exploration: The Explorers Club, the Association of Space Explorers, the Challenger Center for Space Science Education, and the Space Generation Advisory Council.

FMI: www.riskexplore2007.com, www.challenger.org