June Scobee Rodgers

Engineers, officials and the crew members' families provide their perspective on the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster and its aftermath.

January 28, 1986, was a day that shook America to its core. WJXT marks the 30th anniversary of the disaster with Challenger: A Rush to Launch. The hour long documentary takes an investigative look into what brought the shuttle down through the voices of those directly affected by the tragedy then and now. This documentary produced by WJXT Films crew, aims to answer questions form 30 years ago that still remain on everyone’s mind.

This 30-minute film shares the powerful story behind the DPS Challenger Learning Center, which is one of only 32 Challenger Learning Centers worldwide. Through exclusive interviews with June Scobee Rodgers (founding Chair of Challenger Center and widow of Challenger Space Shuttle Commander Richard “Dick” Scobee), retired astronaut Dottie Metcalf-Lindenburger (STS-131) and Jim Rowley (Professor Emeritus at the University of Dayton and Semi-Finalist for Teacher in Space), the documentary highlights the lasting impact of the Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy and how it inspired a global movement dedicated to sparking students’ interest in Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. Mission: Inspire explores how a moment of national heartbreak transformed into a mission of hope — empowering generations of students to dream boldly, explore fearlessly, and reach for the stars.