Michael J . Smith ( astronaut ) Michael John Smith ( April 30 , 1945 – January 28 , 1986 ) , usually known as Mike Smith , was an American astronaut — pilot of the Space Shuttle " Challenger " when it was destroyed during the STS - 51 - L mission . All seven crew members died . Early life and military career . Smith was born in Beaufort , North Carolina . He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1967 and subsequently attended the U . S . Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey , California . He completed naval aviation jet training at Naval Air Station Kingsville , Texas , receiving his aviator wings in May 1969 . He was then assigned to the Advanced Jet Training Command ( VT - 21 ) where he served as an instructor from May 1969 to March 1971 . During the 2 - year period that followed , he flew A - 6 Intruder s and completed a tour during the Vietnam War while assigned to Attack Squadron 52 ( VA - 52 ) aboard the USS " Kitty Hawk " ( CV - 63 ) . In 1974 , he graduated from U . S . Naval Test Pilot School and was assigned to the Strike Aircraft Test Directorate at NAS Patuxent River , Maryland , to work on the A - 6E TRAM and Cruise missile guidance systems . He returned to the U . S . Naval Test Pilot School in 1976 and completed an 18 - month tour as an instructor . From Patuxent River , he was assigned to Attack Squadron 75 ( VA - 75 ) , where he served as maintenance and operations officer while completing two Mediterranean deployments aboard the USS " Saratoga " . He flew 28 different types of civilian and military aircraft , logging 4 , 867 hours of flying time . He was promoted posthumously by Congress to the rank of Captain , and has had a Chair named in his honor at the Naval Postgraduate School . Astronaut career . Smith was selected for the astronaut program in May 1980 ; he served as a commander in the Shuttle Avionics Integration Laboratory ( SAIL ) , Deputy Chief of Aircraft Operations Division , Technical Assistant to the Director , Flight Operations Directorate , and was also assigned to the Astronaut Office Development and Test Group . In addition to being pilot on the " Challenger " , he had been slated to pilot a future Shuttle mission ( STS - 61 - N ) which had been scheduled for the Fall of 1986 . Smith ' s voice was the last one heard on the " Challenger " voice recorder . Just before Mission Control received the last telemetry data , Smith was heard saying , " Uh - oh . " The Shuttle broke up 73 seconds into the flight , and at an altitude of 48 , 000 feet ( 14 . 6 km ) . While analyzing the wreckage , investigators discovered that several electrical system switches on Smith ' s right - hand panel had been moved from their usual launch positions . Fellow Astronaut Richard Mullane wrote , " These switches were protected with lever locks that required them to be pulled outward against a spring force before they could be moved to a new position . " Later tests established that neither the force of the explosion , nor the impact with the ocean could have moved them , indicating that Smith made the switch changes , presumably in a futile attempt to restore electrical power to the cockpit after the crew cabin detached from the rest of the orbiter . Recognition . Smith was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor in 2004 , along with all astronauts lost in the " Challenger " and " Columbia " accidents . He also received the Defense Distinguished Service Medal ( posthumous ) , the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross , 3 Air Medal s , 13 Strike / Flight Air Medals , the Navy Commendation Medal with " V " Device , the Navy Unit Citation , and the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star . The Michael J . Smith Field airfield in his home town of Beaufort , North Carolina is named after Smith . Smith was portrayed by Brian Kerwin in the 1990 TV movie " Challenger " .