Judith Resnik

Hello, I'm Judith Resnik, but you can call me Judy. My story begins in Akron, Ohio, where I was born on April 5th, 1949. From a young age, I was fascinated by numbers and patterns. I loved the clear, logical world of mathematics, but I also had a creative side. I spent hours playing classical piano, letting my fingers dance across the keys to create beautiful music. This balance of art and science shaped who I would become. I worked very hard in school, and my dedication paid off. In 1966, I graduated as the valedictorian of my class at Firestone High School. I was so proud when I learned I had earned a perfect score on my SATs. It was a clear sign that my future lay in science and engineering, and I couldn't wait to see where my curiosity would take me.

After high school, I knew I wanted to pursue a challenging field. In 1966, I enrolled at Carnegie Mellon University to study electrical engineering. At the time, it was a subject mostly studied by men, but I was determined to follow my passion. I loved learning how things worked, from tiny circuits to large systems. After earning my degree in 1970, I began my career as an engineer for a company called RCA, where I worked on important projects. But my thirst for knowledge wasn't satisfied. I decided to go back to school to dive even deeper into my field. In 1977, I proudly earned my Ph.D. in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland. During this time, I also worked as a research fellow in biomedical engineering, exploring how engineering principles could be applied to medicine. I was constantly learning and pushing myself to understand more about the world.

Then, in 1977, I saw an announcement that changed my life forever. NASA was looking for a new class of astronauts, and for the very first time in history, they were recruiting women. I felt a surge of excitement—this was my chance to combine my love for science and engineering with the ultimate adventure: space exploration. The application process was incredibly competitive and difficult, with thousands of brilliant people applying. I put everything I had into it, hoping my years of hard work would be enough. The day I got the call was one I will never forget. On January 16th, 1978, I was officially chosen to be one of NASA's first six female astronauts. I was part of a historic group that included my amazing colleague, Sally Ride. The training was some of the most challenging work I had ever done. We learned to fly high-performance jets, practiced for missions in giant simulators, and prepared our minds and bodies for the unique environment of space.

All that training led to the most incredible experience of my life. On August 30th, 1984, I launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery. It was the shuttle's very first mission, called STS-41-D, and I was a mission specialist. The feeling of the rocket lifting off the ground was powerful, but nothing could prepare me for the moment we reached orbit. Looking out the window and seeing our beautiful Earth suspended in the blackness of space was breathtaking. The feeling of weightlessness was so strange and wonderful. As part of my job, I operated the shuttle's robotic arm, helping to deploy a satellite. A funny moment that people remember is when my long, curly hair floated all around my head in zero gravity. It was a lighthearted moment in a serious mission, and on that day, I became the second American woman to travel in space.

Returning from space only made me want to go back. I was honored to be chosen for a second mission, STS-51-L, which was scheduled to launch on the Space Shuttle Challenger. I was so excited to work with my crewmates as we prepared for our flight. Our team was special for many reasons, but one of the most exciting was that we had Christa McAuliffe on our crew. She was chosen to be the first teacher in space, and her presence brought a wonderful sense of purpose to our mission. Our goals included deploying a satellite and conducting experiments. We all felt a strong sense of shared purpose and couldn't wait to get to work among the stars.

My second journey to space began on January 28th, 1986, aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. It was a day of great excitement that turned into great sadness for the nation and the world when the mission ended tragically just 73 seconds after liftoff. I lived to be 36 years old. Though my life was shorter than I had planned, I am remembered as a pioneer who helped pave the way for women in engineering and space exploration. I hope my story inspires you to follow your curiosity, to work hard, and to always reach for your own stars.