Barbara Morgan to Be Second Teacher in Space on STS-118 -- SpaceRef

Nearly sixteen years after teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe gave her life in pursuit of her profession, her back-up, "Educator Mission Specialist" Barbara Morgan has been assigned to pick up where Christa left off.

Education is a prime focus of NASA's mission - and has received renewed and enhanced support by O'Keefe. As part of today's event, O'Keefe announced that astronaut Leland Melvin has been assigned to NASA Headquarters to assist Dr. Adena Williams Loston, Sean O'Keefe's Senior Advisor for Education. O'Keefe also hinted that there is more to come from the Educator Mission specialist program in January 2003.

SpaceRef Editor's note: Part of this announcement is the honoring of a commitment. Part of it is remembrance. And part of it is looking forward. Yet regardless of how you see it, it is long over due.