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Judith Resnik
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Judith Resnik
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Judith Arlene Resnik (April 5, 1949 – January 28, 1986) was an American electrical engineer, software engineer, biomedical engineer, pilot and NASA astronaut who died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. She was the fourth woman, the second American woman and the first Jewish woman of any nationality to fly in space, logging 145 hours in orbit.

Key Information

Recognized while still a child for her intellectual brilliance, Resnik was accepted at Carnegie Institute of Technology after becoming only the 16th woman in the history of the United States to have attained a perfect score on the SAT exam. She graduated with a degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon before attaining a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland.

Resnik worked for RCA as an engineer on Navy missile and radar projects, as a senior systems engineer for Xerox Corporation, and published research on special-purpose integrated circuitry. She was also a pilot and made research contributions to biomedical engineering as a research fellow at the National Institutes of Health.

At age 28, Resnik was selected by NASA as a mission specialist. She was part of NASA Astronaut Group 8, the first group to include women. While training on the astronaut program, she developed software and operating procedures for NASA missions. Her first space flight was the STS-41-D mission in August and September 1984, the twelfth Space Shuttle flight, and the maiden voyage of Space Shuttle Discovery, where her duties included operating its robotic arm. Her second Shuttle mission was STS-51-L in January 1986 aboard Space Shuttle Challenger. She died when the orbiter broke up shortly after liftoff and crashed into the ocean.

Early life

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Judith Arlene Resnik was born in Akron, Ohio, on April 5, 1949,[1][2] the daughter of Marvin Resnik, an optometrist, and his wife Sarah (née Polensky),[3] a legal secretary.[4] She had a brother, Charles, who was four years younger.[5][6] Her father was the son of a rabbi, and he had been born in Preluke in Ukraine. His family had emigrated to Mandatory Palestine in the 1920s, and then to the United States after the 1929 Hebron massacre.[7] He was fluent in eight languages and served in the U.S. Army during World War II in military intelligence, conducting prisoner of war interrogations and aerial reconnaissance in the Pacific Theater and the subsequent occupation of Japan.[8] Resnik grew up in an observant Jewish home, studying at Hebrew school at Beth El Synagogue in Akron and celebrating her Bat Mitzvah in 1962, which at the time was not a common occurrence.[3][9]

Resnik was noticed for her intellectual ability while still in kindergarten, and she entered elementary school a year early.[10] She attended Fairlawn Elementary School,[11] Simon Perkins Junior High School,[12] and Harvey S. Firestone High School.[11] She was an outstanding student, excelling in mathematics, languages and piano.[13] She played classical piano, and at one point considered a career as a concert pianist.[10][14] Before college, she attained a perfect score on her SAT exam,[15] the only woman in the country to do so that year and only the 16th woman in US history.[14] She graduated from Firestone in 1966 as valedictorian and runner-up homecoming queen.[16][17]

Although her mother disapproved of her dating, Resnik had a series of boyfriends. She preferred to socialize with boys from the nearby Copley High School rather than from Firestone, where her intellectual reputation preceded her. She met Len Nahmi (who eventually became a pilot)[18] at a basketball game. He was half Irish and half Lebanese, and her mother disapproved of him. Nonetheless, she continued to see him secretly, and when she stayed with a cousin in Cleveland while taking a college course available to high school students, she also met with him there. Her parents acrimoniously divorced while she was a teenager, and custody was given to her mother, as was the custom in the United States. Her mother's dislike of Nahmi became more intense, and Nahmi eventually ended their relationship to spare Resnik more pain. When she was 17, she prepared and filed a successful court case so that her custody could be switched from her mother to her father, with whom she was particularly close. She tore up letters from her mother unopened.[19][20] Her father remarried, and she acquired twin stepsisters, Linda and Sandy, who were nine years older than she was, and with whom she became close.[21]

refer to caption
Resnik in July 1979

At age 17, Resnik entered Carnegie Institute of Technology,[10] where she joined the Alpha Epsilon Phi sorority.[21] She began college intending to become a math major, but in her second year, after attending electrical engineering lectures with her boyfriend Michael Oldak, she developed a passion for the subject.[10][16] She was one of three female students in electrical engineering.[10] She was a gourmet cook and a navigator in sports car rallies, in which she took part many times with Oldak in his Triumph TR6.[17] She earned a Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University (as it now was) in 1970.[22] She became a member of Tau Beta Pi, Mortar Board,[23] and Eta Kappa Nu honor societies.[1]

Resnik married Oldak on July 14, 1970.[24] Her mother attended the wedding; two sets of invitations were sent out, one describing her as her father's daughter, and the other as her mother's.[19] Upon graduation from Carnegie Mellon, Resnik and Oldak moved to Moorestown, New Jersey, where they both worked for RCA. She was a design engineer on missile and radar projects and won the Graduate Study Program Award. She performed circuit design for the missile and surface radar division. While at RCA, she worked for the Navy building custom integrated circuitry for the phased-array radar control systems and developed electronics and software for NASA's sounding rocket and telemetry systems programs. An academic paper she wrote on special purpose integrated circuitry caught the attention of NASA during this time.[10] She registered for master's degree evening courses at the University of Pennsylvania. In 1971, Oldak was accepted into Georgetown University Law Center, and they moved to Washington, D.C. Resnik continued to work for RCA, transferring to its office in Springfield, Virginia, and she continued pursuing her master's degree at the University of Maryland. She then entered a doctoral program. Resnik and Oldak divorced in 1975—he wanted children and she did not—but they remained in contact and on good terms.[17][25]

While working on her doctorate, Resnik switched jobs in 1974, and went to work as a research fellow in biomedical engineering at the Laboratory of Neurophysiology at the National Institutes of Health.[24] As a biomedical engineer, Resnik researched the physiology of visual systems.[10] In 1977 she earned her PhD in electrical engineering with honors at the University of Maryland,[16] writing her dissertation on "Bleaching kinetics of visual pigments".[2] Her research involved the effects of electrical currents on the retina.[24] An academic paper co-written by her concerning the biomedical engineering of optometry ("A novel rapid scanning microspectrophotometer and its use in measuring rhodopsin photoproduct pathways and kinetics in frog retinas") was published in the Journal of the Optical Society of America in 1978.[26]

NASA astronaut

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Selection and training

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Resnik stands above her five male crewmates evoking a cheerleader pyramid.
Resnik poses with the rest of the Space Shuttle Discovery crew during the STS-41-D mission.
Main article: NASA Astronaut Group 8

After her divorce from Oldak, Resnik reconnected with Nahmi, who was now a commercial airline pilot. When he heard that the National Air and Space Administration (NASA) was recruiting women to become astronauts, he encouraged her to apply. They read Carrying the Fire, the 1974 book by Apollo 11 astronaut Michael Collins, and she met with him in his office at the National Air and Space Museum.[19] She also met with another former astronaut, John Glenn, who was now a United States senator from her home state of Ohio.[27] Nahmi convinced her to obtain a private pilot's license to bolster her credentials. Resnik qualified as a pilot in 1977, while completing her Ph.D., having achieved near-perfect scores in her flying exams (two 100s and a 98). When she received a promotion at RCA and again when she completed her doctorate, he suggested she send NASA a telegram informing them.[19]

Resnik's mentor and advisor, Professor Angel G. Jordan, then Dean of Carnegie Mellon College of Engineering and later provost of Carnegie Mellon, also encouraged Resnik to apply for the program.[16] After she completed her doctorate, Resnik became a senior systems engineer for Xerox Corporation in Los Angeles, working in product development.[28] She rented an apartment in Redondo Beach, California, where she would jog along the beach to improve her stamina and reduce her weight.[29]

In January 1978, at age 28, Resnik was selected as a mission specialist with NASA Astronaut Group 8, one of 29 men and six women selected out of 8,029 applicants in the first NASA astronaut selection that included women.[30][15] This involved taking a pay cut, as her new salary was considerably less than what she was being paid at Xerox.[29] Her fellow astronaut candidates nicknamed her "JR". She dated some of them.[31] She trained intensely and with great determination, focusing particularly on her physical fitness.[19] She piloted the Northrop T-38 Talon, an aircraft used by NASA astronauts for transportation and training.[32] Astronaut Jerome Apt described her as "an excellent pilot".[16] Asked about Resnik, fellow astronaut Rhea Seddon said: "I thought she was really really bright, obviously a very beautiful person, flirtatious, funny. She was just a live wire. We would do the happy hours, or we'd go on these NASA trips, and Judy was just a star attraction."[33]

Resnik worked on research into the principle of orbital systems, flight software and the development of systems of manual control of spacecraft. She developed the software and operating procedures for the Space Shuttle's Remote Manipulator System (RMS). She also developed the deployment systems for the tethered satellite systems and worked on orbiter development, writing software for NASA to use on its missions.[34][10] She disliked the part of her job that required making public appearances and drumming up support for the space program. She avoided television interviews when possible, and resented intrusive questions about her private life, such as questions about her divorce.[35]

Other astronauts felt that either Resnik or Sally Ride would become the first woman in the group to fly in space, as they received the sorts of technical assignments that best prepared them for flight, such as capsule communicator (CapCom) duties.[36][33] The shortlisted candidates for the mission specialist assignments for the STS-7 mission included all six women, but since the mission involved the use of the RMS, the choice of the first to fly on the Space Shuttle narrowed to Resnik, Ride and Anna Fisher, who had specialized on it. Resnik was considered best qualified, but was passed over in favor of Ride because it was felt that Resnik was less comfortable with public affairs, and the first American woman to fly in space would attract an unusual amount of public interest.[37][38]

STS-41-D

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Main article: STS-41-D
Mission Specialist Judith Resnik
Resnik on the middeck of Space Shuttle Discovery during the STS-41-D mission, with an "I love Tom Selleck" sticker on her locker. A handwritten card reads: "Hi Dad".
A mannequin wears her flight helmet with mask as well as the flight suit.
Resnik's flight suit on display at the Johnson Space Center

In February 1983, Resnik was assigned to the crew of STS-41-D, the twelfth Space Shuttle flight, the maiden voyage of the Space Shuttle Discovery, along with Henry Hartsfield, Michael Coats, Steven Hawley and Mike Mullane.[39][40] During a visit to a contractor's factory, Resnik whispered to Mullane: "there are no maidens on this flight".[41] She was the center of attention on such visits, and one contractor engineer became a stalker, sending her unwelcome letters, poems and gifts. Eventually, after he appeared in the office, he had to be dealt with by NASA security.[42][i] After Hawley and Mullane had a fawning encounter with actor Bo Derek, who was working on the film Tarzan, the Ape Man, Resnik started calling Mullane "Tarzan" and Hawley "Cheetah";[44][45] when the office secretaries heard about this, they began referring to the STS-41-D crew as the "zoo crew".[46] Resnik was a fan of the actor Tom Selleck, and had a coffee cup that said: "Excuse No. 1: I'm Saving Myself for Tom Selleck."[47] Her crewmates hid a poster of Tom Selleck behind the bathroom curtain on Discovery.[48]

The STS-41-D mission's launch was delayed three times. The first attempt, on June 25, 1984, was aborted due to a failure of the backup computer. The following day, during the second attempt, the computer detected a fault in one of the Space Shuttle main engines, and shut them down four seconds before liftoff. This was the first time a NASA space mission had been aborted after starting the engines since Gemini 6 in 1965. Discovery had to be taken back to the Vehicle Assembly Building, where the faulty engine was replaced. A further launch attempt was made on August 29, but was again delayed for a day due to a software issue. Finally, on August 30, Discovery lifted off for the first time, and was in orbit eight minutes later.[49] Resnik invited her family to watch the launch from the VIP viewing area. This included her father, brother, Oldak and Nahmi. Her mother was also in attendance, to avoid bad publicity.[50]

Resnik became the second American woman in space. She was also the first American Jewish astronaut to go into space, and the first Jewish woman.[51] Her duties included operating the Space Shuttle's robotic arm, which she helped create and on which she was an expert.[52] On the first day of the mission, Resnik and Mullane deployed the first of three commercial communications satellites, the SBS-4 satellite for Satellite Business Systems.[49][53] On the second day, the crew released a second satellite, Syncom IV-2, also known as Leasat 2, for the U.S. Navy.[49] While Hartsfield was filming its release with the IMAX camera for the documentary The Dream is Alive, Resnik's hair became caught in the camera's belt feed mechanism. The camera jammed, and she had to be cut free with scissors. Strands of loose hair floated about the cabin. Hartsfield informed the mission control center that the camera had jammed, but did not say why. Coats was able to repair the camera, and Hartsfield continued filming, while Resnik kept her distance.[54][55] The crew deployed a third satellite, Telstar 302 for Telesat of Canada, without mishap the following day.[49]

That day Resnik also deployed the OAST-1 solar array wing,[49] considered a potential future way of generating more electrical power during space missions. After performing several dynamic tests that day and the next, she reported that the experiment was well-behaved and matched ground simulations of the array.[56] During the mission, she held up a hand-written sign saying "Hi Dad" to the cameras, and in a live televised broadcast told President Ronald Reagan "the Earth looks great". When Reagan asked her if the flight was all she hoped it would be, she replied, "It certainly is and I couldn't have picked a better crew to fly with."[56] After the mission, Hartsfield described Resnik as the "astronaut's astronaut",[10] and Mullane wrote: "I was also happy to be crewed with Judy ... She was smart, hardworking, and dependable, all the things you would want in a fellow crewmember."[57]

Discovery landed at Edwards Air Force Base on September 5, after a flight lasting 6 days and 56 minutes.[49]

Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

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Main article: Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

On January 29, 1985, NASA announced that Resnik had been assigned to the crew of STS-51-L. The main objective of this mission was to launch TDRS-B, the second in a series of NASA Tracking and Data Relay Satellites.[58] It would also carry the Spartan (Shuttle Pointed Autonomous Research Tool for Astronomy), which would use two ultraviolet spectrometers to study the tail of Comet Halley.[59] Resnik was primarily responsible for the operation of the RMS and, with fellow astronaut Ronald McNair, would deploy and later retrieve the Spartan.[60] The flight would also carry Christa McAuliffe, a teacher-observer selected as part of NASA's Teacher in Space Project.[59] Resnik was part of the team of astronauts who flew to Washington, D.C., to speak to the 113 finalists, and provide them an insider's view of a Space Shuttle mission. They were taken to the National Air and Space Museum, where they viewed The Dream is Alive with its scenes of Resnik deploying a satellite and eating and sleeping in space. She told them that it was a shame that they could not all fly in space, but privately she disagreed with NASA's decision to send non-astronauts on the Space Shuttle.[61] Resnik's assignment was tied to McAuliffe's; NASA wanted McAuliffe to fly with a veteran female astronaut.[62]

Initially scheduled for January 24, 1986, the launch was delayed until January 28 by rain, high winds, a troublesome bolt on the Space Shuttle Challenger's hatch and freezing temperatures.[63] Resnik's father and stepmother, and her brother and his family watched the launch from the VIP area, as did her Firestone High math teacher. Selleck declined her invitation to attend. Resnik carried a locket for her niece, a signet ring for her nephew and a cigarette lighter for Nahmi.[64]

Challenger lifted off from Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B at 11:38 on January 28. A minute later it broke up, torn apart by aerodynamic forces after a catastrophic failure of an O-ring seal on the starboard solid rocket booster. The cabin remained intact until it hit the water at 207 mph, killing all on board.[65] Resnik's last recorded words aboard Challenger regarded scanning for "LVLH" (local vertical/local horizontal), reminding the cockpit crew of a switch configuration change to the attitude direction indicator.[10][ii]

Following the disaster, examination of the recovered vehicle cockpit revealed that the Personal Egress Air Packs were activated for pilot Mike Smith and two other crew members. The location of Smith's activation switch on the back of his seat means either Resnik or Ellison Onizuka likely activated it for him. Mike Mullane wrote:

Mike Smith's PEAP had been turned on by Judy or El, I wondered if I would have had the presence of mind to do the same thing had I been in Challenger's cockpit. Or would I have been locked in a catatonic paralysis of fear? There had been nothing in our training concerning the activation of a PEAP in the event of an in-flight emergency. The fact that Judy or El had done so for Mike Smith made them heroic in my mind. They had been able to block out the terrifying sights and sounds and motions of Challenger's destruction and had reached for that switch. It was the type of thing a true astronaut would do—maintain their cool in the direst of circumstances.[68]

This is the only evidence that shows Onizuka and Resnik were alive after the cockpit separated from the vehicle. If the cabin had lost pressure, the air packs alone would not have sustained the crew during the two-minute descent.[69] Resnik's remains were recovered from the crashed vehicle cockpit by Navy divers from the USS Preserver.[70] The remains of the seven crew members were cremated, comingled and buried at the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery on May 20, 1986.[71]

Legacy

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The memorial is a bronze plaque with the faces of the crew mounted on the front of a tombstone
Amy Resnik, wife of Charles Resnik, touches the Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial after a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery as part of NASA's Day of Remembrance.

Resnik was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.[72] She was also awarded the NASA Space Flight Medal for her first flight.[1] Landmarks and buildings named for her include a dormitory at her alma mater, Carnegie Mellon University;[73] Judith A. Resnik Elementary School in Gaithersburg, Maryland;[74] Judith A. Resnik Community Learning Center (formerly Fairlawn Elementary) which she had attended was renamed in her honor in her hometown of Akron;[75] and Judith A. Resnik Middle School, established in 2016, in San Antonio, Texas.[76] A crater on the Moon was named after her,[77] as was one on Venus, where all features are named after women.[78] An asteroid, 3356 Resnik, was also named after her.[79]

A memorial to Resnik and the rest of the crew of Challenger was dedicated in Seabrook, Texas, where she lived while stationed at the Johnson Space Center.[80] She is also commemorated on the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center.[81] The IEEE Judith A. Resnik Award was established in 1986 by the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers and is presented annually to an individual or team in recognition of outstanding contributions to space engineering in areas of relevance to the IEEE.[82] The Society of Women Engineers (SWE) awards the Resnik Challenger Medal annually to "a woman who has changed the space industry, has personally contributed innovative technology verified by flight experience ... and will be recognized through future decades as having created milestones in the development of space as a resource for all humankind."[83] The Challenger Center was established in 1986 by the families of the Challenger crew, including Resnik's brother, Charles, in honor of the crew members.[84] Its goal is to increase children's interest in science, technology, engineering and mathematics.[85][86][87]

Julie Fulton portrayed Resnik in the 1990 made-for-TV movie Challenger.[88]

See also

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Footnotes

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Notes

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References

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[edit]
Revisions and contributorsEdit on WikipediaRead on Wikipedia

Judith Resnik

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Judith Arlene Resnik (April 5, 1949 – January 28, 1986) was an American electrical engineer, pilot, and astronaut who became the second woman from the to fly in space, serving as a on the Discovery's STS-41-D mission in 1984 before perishing in the on her second flight in 1986. Born in , to Russian Jewish immigrant parents—father Marvin, an optometrist, and mother Sarah—Resnik displayed early aptitude in mathematics and science, graduating from Firestone High School with a perfect 800 score on the math portion of . She pursued higher education at , earning a in in 1970, followed by both a and a Ph.D. in from the of Maryland in 1977, where her doctoral research, conducted at the , focused on the physiology of the . An accomplished classical pianist from her youth, Resnik also enjoyed physical activities like bicycling, running, and flying, for which she obtained a private pilot's license. Resnik's professional career began in the early 1970s as a at the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), working on control systems and projects, before moving to the as a biomedical supporting on artificial limbs and later joining Corporation to develop chips. In January 1978, she was selected as one of 35 astronaut candidates in NASA's sixth group—the first since and the first to include women and ethnic minorities—undergoing two years of rigorous training that qualified her as a . On her maiden voyage aboard Discovery from August 30 to September 5, 1984, Resnik logged over 144 hours in space across 96 orbits, operating the shuttle's robotic arm to deploy a 102-foot satellite and conducting experiments in and technology. Assigned as a for the mission on Challenger, which aimed to deploy a and observe , Resnik was among the seven crew members killed when the vehicle exploded 73 seconds after liftoff due to a failed seal in the right . In the wake of her death, Resnik's legacy as a trailblazing engineer and astronaut endures through numerous honors, including the awarded posthumously, the establishment of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education by her family in 1986 to inspire youth in STEM fields, and eponyms such as the Judith Resnik Lunar , a Venus , an asteroid, and the IEEE Judith A. Resnik Award for contributions to space engineering.

Early life and education

Family background

Judith Arlene Resnik was born on April 5, 1949, in Akron, Ohio, to Jewish parents Marvin Resnik, an optometrist, and Sarah (née Polensky), a legal secretary. The family provided a supportive environment that emphasized education and intellectual pursuits, reflecting the values of their Jewish-American household in post-World War II Akron. From an early age, Resnik displayed a strong aptitude for and , interests nurtured through her family's encouragement and her own curiosity. She took piano lessons and excelled as a classical , initially considering a career in music before gravitating toward technical fields. Her passion for problem-solving was evident in her high school years at Firestone High School in Akron, where she graduated in 1966 as with a perfect SAT score—the only female among the sixteen nationwide to achieve that distinction that year. At Firestone, Resnik was actively involved in the math club, serving as secretary in her senior year and standing out as the sole girl among fourteen members, which highlighted her trailblazing role in male-dominated academic circles. This early academic excellence and family-backed drive in STEM subjects laid the foundation for her pursuit of higher education in .

Academic achievements

Judith Resnik earned a degree in from in 1970, graduating with honors. She was inducted into the engineering honor society, recognizing her academic excellence among the top engineering students. Following her undergraduate studies, Resnik pursued advanced education at the University of , where she earned a PhD in in 1977. Her doctoral research centered on applications, particularly the of visual systems and the properties of , a pigment essential for low-light and in the eye. During her graduate studies, while employed at the Radio Corporation of America, Resnik contributed to the field through early work on integrated circuits, including authoring a technical paper on design procedures for special-purpose integrated circuitry. This research bridged her academic pursuits with practical engineering innovations, laying the groundwork for her later career advancements.

Pre-NASA career

Engineering positions

Upon graduating from with a in in 1970, Judith Resnik began her professional career as a design engineer at RCA in . In 1971, she transferred to RCA in , where her responsibilities included specification, , and performance evaluation of equipment, as well as engineering support for sounding rocket and telemetry systems programs. These roles honed her expertise in applications for defense and space systems. From 1974 to 1977, Resnik served as a biomedical engineer and staff fellow in the Laboratory of at the in . In this position, she performed biological research experiments concerning the of visual systems, applying her engineering background to neurophysiological research during her concurrent pursuit of a Ph.D. in at the University of Maryland. Immediately prior to her NASA selection in 1978, Resnik worked as a senior systems engineer in product development at Corporation in , from 1977 onward. Her duties involved for emerging technologies, building on her prior experience in circuit and control systems design. This role marked her transition toward broader applications in commercial engineering before entering the astronaut program.

Research contributions

During her time as a design engineer at RCA from 1970 to 1974, Judith Resnik contributed to the development of custom integrated circuitry for phased-array control systems used in and applications. Her work also included engineering support for NASA sounding rockets and the design of and control systems, focusing on reliable to ensure mission success in space environments. These efforts emphasized in control mechanisms to handle potential system failures, advancing fault-tolerant technologies for operations. During this period, she authored a paper on design procedures for special-purpose integrated circuitry. As a biomedical engineer and staff fellow in the Laboratory of Neurophysiology at the National Institutes of Health from 1974 to 1977, Resnik performed biological research experiments concerning the physiology of visual systems. This work contributed to foundational methods in neurophysiological research under resource-constrained conditions. At Xerox Corporation from 1977 to 1978, Resnik served as a senior systems engineer in product development. Her engineering at Xerox built on her prior expertise in integrated circuits, contributing to advancements in systems engineering for commercial technologies.

NASA career

Astronaut selection

In 1977, Judith Resnik applied to become part of 's eighth astronaut class, known as Group 8, amid a pool of approximately 8,000 applicants seeking positions for the upcoming . Resnik was recruited into the astronaut program in 1978 by actress , who volunteered for 's special outreach effort to attract women and minorities. She was selected as one of 35 candidates announced on , 1978, marking the first astronaut group to include women and minorities in significant numbers. Resnik was among the six women chosen—Anna L. Fisher, Shannon W. Lucid, Margaret Rhea Seddon, Sally K. Ride, , and herself—representing a historic shift toward co-educational selection in the astronaut corps. NASA's selection criteria for this class emphasized advanced technical expertise, particularly PhD-level qualifications in engineering or sciences, combined with professional experience, , and the ability to operate complex shuttle systems. Resnik's PhD in from the of , along with her prior work in biomedical and , aligned closely with these requirements, especially 's need for specialists in shuttle and systems. The process also incorporated diversity goals influenced by (EEO) policies, aiming to broaden representation in response to societal pressures for inclusion in federal programs. The announcement of Resnik's selection generated widespread media attention, positioning her as a trailblazing female engineer- in an era when women were entering previously male-dominated fields like . Coverage highlighted her , roots and technical prowess, often framing her alongside the other female selectees as pioneers who would operate shuttle technologies previously reserved for men. This focus underscored the cultural significance of the class, which expanded 's astronaut profile to include diverse professionals essential for the shuttle era.

Training program

Following her selection as part of NASA's 1978 astronaut class, Judith Resnik began a comprehensive two-year training program at the in Houston, Texas, starting on July 1, 1978. This intensive regimen prepared mission specialists like Resnik for the complexities of operations, encompassing academic instruction, hands-on simulations, and to ensure readiness for spaceflight demands. The technical curriculum included coursework in , systems, and the operation of the remote manipulator system (RMS), the shuttle's robotic arm; Resnik qualified as an RMS operator during this phase, specializing in its use for deploying and maneuvering payloads. Practical training involved piloting T-38 Talon jets to build proficiency and , as well as zero-gravity simulations aboard modified KC-135 aircraft to simulate microgravity conditions, and (EVA) procedures in facilities like the Weightless Environment Training Facility (WETF). Survival training emphasized resilience in extreme scenarios, including water survival exercises in where candidates practiced inflating life rafts and managing drags, survival in remote environments to foster resourcefulness, and jumps to simulate emergency ejections; these sessions highlighted within the diverse class, which included the first , African American, and Asian American astronauts. Resnik earned certifications in to support underwater EVA simulations in neutral buoyancy pools and basic medical response for in-flight emergencies.

STS-41-D mission

The STS-41-D mission, the maiden flight of , launched on August 30, 1984, at 8:41 a.m. EDT from Launch Complex 39A at NASA's in . Judith Resnik served as a on the six-person crew, becoming the second American woman in space after and the first Jewish American woman to reach orbit. Her selection for this role highlighted her expertise in systems operations and engineering, drawing from her prior training in shuttle robotics and scientific payloads. Resnik's primary responsibilities centered on operating the , the shuttle's system, to facilitate the deployment of two commercial communications satellites: SBS-4 for Satellite Business Systems and Leasat-1 (also known as IV-1) for the U.S. . On flight day two, she successfully released SBS-4 into geosynchronous transfer after grasping and maneuvering it from the payload bay, marking one of the mission's key commercial objectives. Later, on flight day three, she repeated the process for Leasat-1, ensuring precise separation and ignition of its upper stage rocket; a third satellite, Telstar 3C, was deployed by another crew member. These operations demonstrated the 's reliability for satellite handling, a capability Resnik had qualified for during pre-mission simulations. Additionally, she contributed to the Office of Aeronautics and Space Technology (OAST-1) payload by deploying a large solar array experiment to test in microgravity, extending it first to 70% length for initial vibrations analysis and fully on flight day four. Throughout the flight, Resnik conducted in-cabin experiments, including monitoring plasma interactions with the shuttle's surfaces using diagnostic tools as part of , and she documented orbital maneuvers by recording video and data on during attitude adjustments. These tasks supported broader research into shuttle performance in space. The mission concluded after 6 days, 56 minutes, and 4 seconds, with Discovery landing smoothly on runway 17 at , , at 6:37 a.m. PDT on September 5, 1984, after 97 orbits. Resnik later shared personal reflections on , describing it as disorienting yet exhilarating, noting how it allowed effortless somersaults and a sense of boundless freedom; she famously displayed a sign reading "Hi Dad" to the camera during one playful demonstration of microgravity effects.

Challenger disaster

STS-51-L assignment

In January 1985, assigned Judith Resnik as a to the mission aboard , with the crew announcement on January 27 including Commander Francis R. Scobee, Pilot , Mission Specialists Ellison S. Onizuka and Ronald E. McNair, and later additions of Payload Specialists Gregory B. Jarvis from Hughes Aircraft and S. , selected as the first teacher in space to advance 's civilian outreach through educational demonstrations from orbit. Resnik's responsibilities included acting as an operator of the remote manipulator system (RMS), the shuttle's , to assist with operations, alongside McNair. Her duties encompassed supporting the deployment and later retrieval of the SPARTAN-203 satellite, a free-flying astronomy platform designed to observe using ultraviolet instruments during its 40-hour independent mission. Following her experience on STS-41-D, Resnik underwent intensive pre-launch training starting in early 1985, which involved hands-on integration sessions with Challenger-specific mockups at NASA's to simulate mission procedures, proficiency flights in T-38 jet trainers to hone her piloting skills, and final crew compatibility exercises in late 1985 focused on coordination and emergency response drills. As part of personal preparations, Resnik participated in interviews and briefings that highlighted the dimensions of the Teacher in Space program, underscoring how McAuliffe's orbital lessons would illustrate real-world applications of scientific principles to inspire students.

Mission events

The mission lifted off on January 28, 1986, at 11:38 a.m. EST from Launch Complex 39B at NASA's in , marking the first shuttle launch from that pad in over a year. Unusually cold overnight temperatures, reaching 28°F (-2°C) and the lowest recorded for a shuttle launch, had caused multiple delays in the preceding days due to concerns over frozen valves and potential impacts on vehicle systems, but engineers ultimately approved the after assessments deemed conditions acceptable. During the initial ascent, Judith Resnik, serving as a , was stationed on the orbiter's mid-deck, where she monitored systems and conducted routine checks alongside fellow crew members. The shuttle's solid rocket boosters performed nominally at first, propelling Challenger upward through clearing skies. However, at 58.8 seconds after liftoff, the primary seal in the right solid rocket booster's aft field failed due to the resilient material's reduced flexibility in the subfreezing conditions, allowing hot combustion gases to breach the and erode the structure. This breach escalated rapidly, leading to a burn-through that compromised the booster's attachment to the external tank. At 73 seconds into the flight, at an altitude of approximately 46,000 feet (14 km) over the off the of , the vehicle underwent catastrophic structural breakup as the external tank exploded, severing the connections between the boosters, tank, and orbiter. The crew compartment, containing Resnik and the six other astronauts, separated from the disintegrating stack and followed a , reaching a peak altitude of about 65,000 feet before plummeting into the ocean roughly 18 miles east of . Resnik's final communications, captured on the crew's operational recorder, consisted of routine status reports from the mid-deck, such as acknowledgments of checks, with no deviations indicating anomaly awareness. Analysis of the voice tapes revealed normal inter-crew dialogue up to , including a pilot's "Uh oh" at 64.66 seconds possibly in response to vibrations, but post-accident investigations found no evidence that the crew, including Resnik, recognized the impending failure before the event or regained full consciousness after cabin depressurization during descent.

Immediate aftermath

Following the Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986, recovery efforts focused on locating and retrieving debris from the Atlantic Ocean. Navy divers discovered the crew compartment wreckage on March 9, 1986, approximately 18 miles northeast of , at a depth of about 100 feet. The compartment, which had separated from the orbiter and plummeted intact before impact, contained the remains of the seven astronauts, including Judith Resnik. These remains were positively identified through forensic analysis, including comparisons with medical records, though the severe impact damage complicated the process; confirmed the recovery of all identifiable remains by April 20, 1986. The Rogers Commission, appointed by President and chaired by former William Rogers, conducted a thorough investigation into the accident, releasing its final report in 1986. The commission determined that the disaster resulted from a failure in the joint between the two lower segments of the right (SRB), specifically due to the erosion and failure of the seals in cold temperatures, a design flaw known but inadequately addressed by and contractor Morton Thiokol. Resnik's family, including her father Marvin Resnik, provided input to the commission during private briefings, expressing concerns about the crew's final moments and the adequacy of escape systems; a subsequent report in July 1986, based on wreckage analysis, indicated that the crew likely survived the initial breakup but perished upon impact or shortly after due to the cabin's rapid descent. In response, suspended all flights for 32 months, from January 1986 until the successful launch of in September 1988, allowing time for redesigns to the SRB joints and other safety improvements. Public mourning was widespread, with thousands gathering for memorials; at Temple Israel in —Resnik's childhood —a service on January 31, 1986, drew approximately 850 attendees. Marvin Resnik, Judith's father, helped establish a at Firestone High for students excelling in math and , honoring her legacy as an accomplished engineer and astronaut.

Legacy

Memorials and awards

Following her death in the Challenger disaster, Judith Resnik received several posthumous honors from , including the , the highest U.S. government award for spaceflight achievement, presented on July 23, 2004, by President . She was also awarded the for her service on the STS-41-D mission aboard in 1984. Educational institutions established tributes to Resnik's legacy in engineering and science education. The Judith A. Resnik Elementary School in , part of the Montgomery County Public Schools system, was named in her honor to inspire young students in STEM fields. At her alma mater, , the Judith A. Resnik Award was created in 1990 to recognize outstanding senior women pursuing undergraduate degrees in technical disciplines, providing a $1,000 annual . The Challenger Center for Space Science Education was established in by the families of the Challenger crew, including Resnik's brother , to honor the crew and inspire the next generation of explorers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) fields. In astronomical , a on the Moon's far side within the Apollo basin was named Resnik in 1994 by the , along with other honoring the Challenger crew. A on was also named Resnik in by the , following a proposal from Soviet scientists to honor the female Challenger crew members; all features on are named after women. Additionally, asteroid (3356) Resnik was named in her honor in . The Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE) established the Judith A. Resnik Space Award to recognize outstanding contributions to space engineering within the fields of interest of the IEEE Aerospace and Electronic Systems Society. The established the Judith Resnik Memorial Scholarship in 1990, offering $5,000 annually to undergraduate SWE members studying or , reflecting her pioneering role as a female engineer in space.

Cultural impact

Judith Resnik's pioneering role as one of NASA's first female astronauts has inspired generations of , , , and (STEM) fields. Her story is prominently featured in books such as The Six: The Untold Story of America's First Women Astronauts by Loren Grush, which highlights Resnik's engineering expertise and determination alongside , Kathryn Sullivan, Anna Fisher, , and as trailblazers who shattered barriers in a male-dominated industry. Similarly, Changing Our World: True Stories of Women Engineers profiles Resnik's contributions as an electrical and biomedical engineer, emphasizing her path from academia to spaceflight as a model for aspiring female professionals. Documentaries on female astronauts, including National Geographic's Sally (2025) about , reference Resnik's achievements to illustrate the collective impact of the 1978 astronaut class on gender equity in space exploration. Resnik's selection in NASA's 1978 astronaut class, the first to include women, advanced the agency's diversity initiatives by integrating female engineers into its ranks and challenging traditional selection criteria previously limited to military pilots. Her tragic death in underscored the inherent risks of , prompting the Rogers Commission investigation that recommended sweeping safety reforms, including redesigned solid rocket boosters and enhanced management protocols, which facilitated NASA's safe return to flight with in September 1988. In media, Resnik has been portrayed to emphasize her technical prowess and personal resilience. The 1990 television film Challenger, directed by Glenn Jordan, depicts her as a dedicated mission specialist through actress Julie Fulton's performance, focusing on her engineering background and interactions with the crew. Earlier, the 1985 IMAX documentary The Dream Is Alive, filmed aboard STS-41-D where Resnik operated the Canadarm, captures her operating the robotic arm during payload deployment, showcasing her hands-on role in shuttle operations and becoming an enduring visual tribute to her engineering legacy. Resnik's influence persists in contemporary space efforts, with her work on the highlighted in collections and publications that contextualize the program's technological advancements. This legacy supports NASA's program's goals for diverse crews, including women on lunar missions, building on the foundational progress made by Resnik and her 1978 cohort to promote gender inclusion in deep-space exploration. Memorial scholarships in her name, such as those from the , continue to fund STEM education for women, extending her commitment to mentorship.

References

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