Challenger Center to Utilize National Geographic Channel's 'Challenger: The Untold Story' at Learning Centers Across U.S.

Challenger Center to Utilize National Geographic Channel's 'Challenger: The Untold Story' at Learning Centers Across U.S.

Special Will Air on 20th Anniversary of Challenger Disaster and Transport Viewers Behind the Scenes of this National Tragedy

ALEXANDRIA, Va., Jan. 26 /PRNewswire/ -- The Challenger Center for Space Science Education (CCSSE) announced today it will distribute the National Geographic Channel's film "Challenger: The Untold Story" to all Challenger Learning Centers. The tape can be used as a tool to educate students about the space shuttle, the training of the crew and the mission of 51-L.

"Challenger: The Untold Story" explores the dangers, complexities and heroics of space travel. The program blends dramatic re-creations, archival footage and news coverage with firsthand accounts from key participants, including Challenger Center Founding Director and Founding Chairman June Scobee Rodgers, Ph.D. The two-hour special airs the evening of the 20th anniversary of the Challenger disaster, Saturday, January 28, 2006 from 8 to 10 p.m. ET/PT on the National Geographic Channel (NGC).

This program weaves together three major story lines -- Christa McAuliffe's journey from high school teacher to astronaut; whistle-blower and Morton Thiokol engineer Roger Boisjoly's futile battle to ground the shuttle due to concerns over the O rings; and Nobel prize-winning physicist Richard Feynman's pivotal role in the Rogers Commission's investigation.

The families of the Challenger astronauts turned their personal tragedy into a monumental educational triumph -- keeping alive the teaching mission -- by creating Challenger Center for Space Science Education. Challenger Center for Space Science Education and the 51 Challenger Learning Centers provide simulations in which students climb aboard a space station and work in teams to solve problems as astronauts and mission controllers in scenarios that take them through a comet, to the surface of the Moon, to a rotating platform to observe Earth, and to Mars.

As Challenger Center begins its historic 20th year of inspiring students to explore and learn, we hope Americans will watch NGC's "Challenger: The Untold Story," a poignant program, and remember the 20th anniversary of Challenger 51-L.

Challenger Center for Space Science Education (CCSSE) is an international, not-for-profit education organization that was founded by the families of the astronauts from Challenger Space Shuttle mission 51-L. Through Challenger Center's programs and its international network of Challenger Learning Centers, the diversity, spirit, and commitment to education that exemplified the Challenger 51-L mission continues to make an impact on students, teachers, and families today. These positive learning experiences raise students' expectations of success; foster a long-term interest in mathematics, science, and technology; and motivate them to pursue careers in these fields. Visit us at http://www.challenger.org/.

Based at National Geographic Society headquarters in Washington, D.C., the National Geographic Channel is a joint venture between National Geographic Television & Film (NGT&F) and Fox Cable Networks. National Geographic Channel debuted to an initial 10 million homes in January 2001, and has been one of the fastest growing networks in history. The Channel has carriage with all of the nation's major cable and satellite television providers, making it currently available to 56 million homes. For more information, please visit http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel.

Source: National Geographic Channel

CONTACT: Charles Birdie of Challenger Center for Space Science
Education, +1-703-683-9740, cbirdie@challenger.org; or Bill Salvin of Signal
Bridge Communications, +1-480-515-9486, bsalvin@signalbridge.com, for
Challenger Center for Space Science Education; For screening copies of
"Challenger: The Untold Story," please contact: Russell Howard,
+1-202-912-6652, RHoward@natgeochannel.com, Dara Klatt, +1-202-912-6720,
Dara.Klatt@natgeochannel.com, Chris Albert, National Geographic Channel,
+1-202-912-6526, CAlbert@natgeochannel.com, all of the National Geographic
Channel; or Licet Ariza of The Fratelli Group, 202-496-2122,
LAriza@fratelli.com, for National Geographic Channel

Web site: http://www.challenger.org/
http://www.nationalgeographic.com/channel

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