‘A hero’: New Hampshire to unveil statue of Christa McAuliffe in September

Space Shuttle Challenger This Sept. 26, 1985 photo made available by NASA shows astronaut Sharon Christa McAuliffe. The high school teacher from Concord, N.H., never got to teach from space. She perished during the 1986 launch of shuttle Challenger, along with her six crewmates. (NASA via AP) (AP)

By Maria Papadopoulos

CONCORD, N.H. — Next month, New Hampshire officials will unveil a statue honoring Christa McAuliffe, who died in the space shuttle Challenger disaster 38 years ago.

McAuliffe, a New Hampshire high school teacher, was among a crew of seven who were killed when the Challenger broke apart shortly after takeoff on Jan. 28, 1986. She was 37.

The unveiling of McAuliffe’s statue -- the first woman to be memorialized on State House grounds --- will be held at 10 a.m. on Monday, Sept. 2, Gov. Chris Sununu said in a statement on Tuesday.

“To see a hero like Christa McAuliffe memorialized in this way will undoubtedly inspire the next generation of students each time they visit the New Hampshire State House,” Sununu said.

Space Shuttle Challenger FILE - In this Sept. 13, 1985 file photo, Christa McAuliffe tries out the commander's seat on the flight deck of a shuttle simulator at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. (AP Photo) (RC/AP)

The governor said the statue unveiling “will be a historic moment for the State of New Hampshire.” Members of the public are encouraged to attend.

“We hope the whole community will come out for this event!” Sununu said.

Last year, Sununu signed an executive order establishing the Christa McAuliffe State House Memorial Commission.

Space Shuttle Challenger NASA lost seven of its own on the morning of Jan. 28, 1986, when a booster engine failed, causing the Shuttle Challenger to break apart just 73 seconds after launch. In this photo from Jan. 9, 1986, the Challenger crew takes a break during countdown training at NASA's Kennedy Space Center. (NASA/NASA)

The committee selected renowned artist Benjamin Victor to design the memorial.

At the age of 26, Victor became the youngest artist to ever have a sculpture placed in the National Statuary Hall in the U.S. Capitol.

In 2024, Victor became the only living artist to have four sculptures on display in Statuary Hall.

This is a developing story. Check back for updates as more information becomes available.

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