Dick Scobee Francis Richard " Dick " Scobee ( May 19 , 1939 - January 28 , 1986 ) was an American astronaut . He was killed commanding the Space Shuttle Challenger , which suffered catastrophic booster failure during launch of the STS - 51 - L mission . Early life . Born in Cle Elum , Washington to Francis William Scobee and Edlynn ( Miller ) Scobee , Scobee attended Auburn Senior High School , Cascade Middle School , and Washington Elementary in Auburn , Washington . He graduated in 1957 . Service . He enlisted in the United States Air Force in 1957 , where he served as a reciprocating engine mechanic at Kelly Air Force Base in Texas . While off duty , he attended San Antonio College , and eventually received a Bachelor of Science degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona in 1965 ; the same year , he was awarded an officer ' s commission . Afterward , he attended flight school and earned his wings in 1966 , serving as a combat aviator in the Vietnam War . He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross , the Air Medal , and other decorations . After his tour of duty , Scobee attended the Aerospace Research Pilot School at Edwards Air Force Base , 100 miles north of Los Angeles , California . Upon graduation in 1972 , he became an Air Force test pilot , logging thousands of hours of flight time in dozens of aircraft , including the Boeing 747 , the experimental X - 24 B lifting body , the F - 111 Aardvark , and the gigantic C - 5 Galaxy . Selected for NASA ' s astronaut program in January 1978 , Scobee completed his training in August 1979 . While awaiting his first orbital spaceflight mission , he served as an instructor pilot for the shuttle ' s 747 carrier aircraft . In April 1984 , Scobee piloted Challenger mission STS - 41 - C , which successfully deployed one satellite and repaired another . " Challenger " . Scobee was assigned commander for the ill - fated STS - 51 - L mission . The mission , designed to deploy a satellite to study the approaching Halley ' s Comet and to inaugurate the Teacher in Space Project , was delayed numerous times due to bad weather and technical glitches . When the mission finally did lift off the pad , an O - ring seal failure destroyed the shuttle 73 seconds into the flight , killing Scobee and the other six members of the crew ; the tragedy , viewed live on national television , prompted several days of national mourning , as well as a major shakeup at NASA . Scobee died a Lieutenant colonel . At T + 68 into the mission , the CAPCOM Richard Covey informed the crew that they were " go at throttle up " , and Commander Scobee confirmed the call - his last recorded words were his response , " Roger , go at throttle up . " The shuttle broke up 73 seconds into the flight , and at an altitude of 48 , 000 feet ( 14 . 6 km ) . Some experts , including one of NASA ' s lead investigators , Robert Overmyer , who was closest to Scobee , believed most if not all of the crew were alive and possibly conscious during the entire descent until impact with the ocean . After the investigation , Overmyer stated , " I not only flew with Dick Scobee , we owned a plane together , and I know Scob did everything he could to save his crew . Scob fought for any and every edge to survive . He flew that ship without wings all the way down . " Family . Scobee was married to Virginia June Kent and had two children , Kathie R . ( Scobee ) Fulgham and Brigadier General Richard W . Scobee , USAF . Buried in Arlington National Cemetery , Scobee was survived by his wife and children . June Scobee remarried in 1989 to retired Army LTG Don Rodgers . Scobee ' s son graduated from the US Air Force Academy , has flown F - 16 s for the USAF , and has commanded the 944th Fighter Wing , the 301st Fighter Wing , and is now the deputy director of operations for NORAD . He led the military flyover during the pre game of url = http : / / www . 301fw . afrc . af . mil / library / biographies / bio . asp ? id = 12252 | title = Biographies : COLONEL RICHARD W SCOBEE | publisher = 301fw . afrc . af . mil | date = | accessdate = 2012 - 05 - 18 } } < / ref > He was promoted to Brigadier General in December 2010 . His niece is [ [ Amy Scobee . Awards and recognition . On July 9 , 1994 , the [ [ San Antonio College ] ] Planetarium facility was rededicated The Scobee Planetarium . In 2004 , Scobee was [ [ posthumous recognition | posthumous ] ] ly awarded the [ [ Congressional Space Medal of Honor ] ] and was inducted into the Astronaut Hall of Fame . After the Challenger disaster , North Auburn Elementary School was renamed Dick Scobee Elementary in his honor . [ [ Auburn Municipal Airport ( Washington ) | Auburn Municipal Airport ] ] was also renamed Dick Scobee Field . Dick Scobee Road in Myrtle Beach , South Carolina was also named in his honor . Also located nearby in Myrtle Beach are [ [ Ronald McNair ] ] Boulevard and [ [ Christa McAuliffe ] ] Street . Lastly , in Houston , TX ' s George Bush Park , there is a R / C ( Remote Controlled ) Flying Field named in his honor . Scobee was portrayed by [ [ Barry Bostwick ] ] in the 1990 TV movie " [ [ Challenger ( TV film ) | Challenger ] ] " . He also made an appearance in the Imax documentary " [ [ The Dream is Alive ] ] " , shot during the STS - 41C mission . Also , in San Antonio , TX , Dick Scobee Elementary was erected , with a dedication ceremony attended by his wife . External links . [ [ Category : 1939 births ] ] [ [ Category : 1986 deaths ] ] [ [ Category : American astronauts ] ] [ [ Category : Space program fatalities ] ] [ [ Category : United States Air Force officers ] ] [ [ Category : American military personnel of the Vietnam War ] ] [ [ Category : Burials at Arlington National Cemetery ] ] [ [ Category : Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross ( United States ) ] ] [ [ Category : Recipients of the Air Medal ] ] [ [ Category : United States Astronaut Hall of Fame inductees ] ] [ [ Category : Accidental deaths in Florida ] ] [ [ Category : U . S . Air Force Test Pilot School alumni ] ] [ [ Category : Space Shuttle Challenger disaster ] ] [ [ Category : People from Auburn , Washington ] ] [ [ Category : Filmed accidental deaths ] ] [ [ Category : United States Air Force astronauts ] ]