Judith Resnik, astronaut, born 1949

Judith Resnik, born April 5, 1949 in Akron, Ohio, was a veteran of two space shuttle flights.  She was the second US woman in space and the first Jewish astronaut ever.

Her first flight was on Discovery (STS-41-D) as mission specialist August-September 1984.  It was the first flight of the Discovery.

Her second flight was aboard Challenger (STS-51-L) as mission specialist on January 28, 1984.  Unfortunately, Resnik and the rest of the crew were lost when Challenger exploded shortly after lift-off.

Discovery's maiden voyage (STS-41-D) launched 1984

STS-41-D crew:

Front row (L-R): Richard Mullane, Steven Hawley, Henry Harsfield, Michael Coats

Back row (L-R): Charles Walker, Judith Resnik

Mission patch

Space Shuttle Discovery's maiden voyage (STS-41-D) was launched August 30, 1984. Its crew consisted of Commander Henry Harsfield, Pilot Michael Coats, Richard Mullane, Steven Hawley, Judith Resnik, and Charles Walker.

Resnik was the second US woman in space after Sally Ride.

They returned to Earth September 5.

Challenger (STS-51-L) explodes 73 seconds after launch 1986

STS-51-L crew 

Back row (L-R): Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik. 

Front row (L-R): Michael J. Smith, Francis "Dick" Scobee, Ronald McNair.

STS-51-L Mission patch

Space Shuttle Challenger (STS-51-L), launched January 28, 1986, exploded 73 seconds after launch.  The cause of the disaster was determined to have been a failure of an O-ring seal on the starboard Solid Rocket Booster.  The disaster grounded the space shuttle program for 32 months.  Its crew consisted of Commander Francis Scobee, Pilot Michael Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnick, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe.  All crew perished in the disaster.