Judith Resnik
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
| Judith Arlene Resnik | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| NASA Astronaut | |
| Nationality | American |
| Status | Killed during mission |
| Born | April 5, 1949 Akron, Ohio |
| Died | January 28, 1986 Cape Canaveral, Florida |
| Other occupation | Engineer |
| Space time | 6d 00h 56m |
| Selection | 1978 NASA Group |
| Missions | STS-41-D, STS-51-L |
| Mission insignia |
  |
Judith Arlene Resnik (April 5, 1949 – January 28, 1986) was an American engineer and a NASA astronaut who died in the destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger during the launch of mission STS-51-L.
Contents |
[edit] Life
Resnik was born in Akron, Ohio and attended Hebrew school. Judith A. Resnik has one brother, Charles, four years younger. Her parents were Marvin, an optometrist, and Sara Resnik. A graduate of Firestone High School, she excelled in math and played classical piano. She received a B.S. in electrical engineering from Pittsburgh's Carnegie Mellon University in 1970, the year she married fellow student Michael Oldak. They divorced in 1974 because Michael wanted children; Judith wanted to focus on her career. Resnik then earned a Ph.D. in electrical engineering in 1977 at the University of Maryland. After graduation from Carnegie Mellon, she was employed at RCA as a design engineer, and later worked with various NASA projects contracted to the company.
While working toward her doctorate, Resnik was affiliated with the National Institutes of Health as a biomedical engineer. Later, she was a systems engineer with Xerox Corporation.
[edit] Astronaut
Resnik was selected for the astronaut program in January 1978, serving as a mission specialist on the maiden voyage of Discovery, from August to September 1984. She was likewise a mission specialist aboard Challenger for STS-51-L.[1][2][3]
[edit] Legacy
Resnik crater, located within the Apollo impact basin on the far side of the Moon, was named in her honor.
A dormitory at Carnegie Mellon is named in her honor and there is a statue commemorating her on the grounds. The school library at Firestone High School, Resnik's high school alma mater, was also named after her.
Fairlawn Elementary School in her hometown of Akron was renamed to Judith A. Resnik Community Learning Center when it reopened in December 2006. There is also an elementary school in Gaithersburg, Maryland named in her honor, having been opened in 1992. Judy Resnik Drive, a street in Randolph, NJ was also named after Resnik.
Resnik was portrayed by Julie Fulton in the 1990 TV movie Challenger.
[edit] Frankfurt incident
On January 5, 2003, a 31-year old mentally disturbed German student named Franz Strambach stole a small motor glider and flew it around several skyscrapers in Frankfurt-am-Main, threatening to crash into the European Central Bank headquarters. He claimed on German television after his arrest that his purpose was to kill himself in order that he be "reunited" with Resnik in the hereafter.[4]
[edit] References
- ^ Biographical Data - Judith A. Resnick. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (December 2003).
- ^ The 51-L Crew: Judy Resnick. The Challenger Center.
- ^ Remarks of Senator John Glenn, Memorial Service For Judith Resnik. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (1986-02-03).
- ^ "Frankfurt pilot 'too sick' for trial", BBC News, 2003-11-07.
[edit] External links
- Archive.org Cache of Judith Resnik reference site (dead)
- Judith Resnik at Find A Grave
- Judith Resnik at Find A Grave
|
||||||||||
