About
THE MISSION CONTINUES
Born from Tragedy. Built for the Future.
The UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center carries forward the legacy of seven astronauts who gave their lives in pursuit of knowledge, exploration, and the belief that education can change the world. Since 1994, we have been Chattanooga's gateway to space — and the first university-based Challenger Learning Center in the nation.
Official NASA portrait of the seven crew members of Space Shuttle Challenger mission STS-51L, who lost their lives on January 28, 1986.
January 28, 1986
At 11:40 a.m. Eastern time, the Space Shuttle Challenger lifted off from Kennedy Space Center carrying seven crew members on mission STS-51L. Among them was Christa McAuliffe, the first teacher selected to fly in space, chosen to inspire a generation of students watching from classrooms across America. Seventy-three seconds after launch, a o-ring related booster engine failure caused the shuttle to break apart. All seven crew members were lost.
The nation mourned. But the families of the crew refused to let the mission end there. In April 1986, led by June Scobee Rodgers — widow of Challenger Commander Richard Scobee — and the families of all seven crew members, the Challenger Center for Space Science Education was founded. Their vision was profound in its simplicity: create a living memorial where children could explore, experiment, collaborate, and discover — carrying forward everything the Challenger crew stood for.
The first Challenger Learning Center opened in Houston in August 1988. Today, more than 46 Learning Centers operate across the United States, Canada, South Korea, and the United Kingdom, reaching hundreds of thousands of students every year.
Chattanooga's Place in History
In the early 1990s, June Scobee Rodgers worked alongside former U.S. Congresswoman Marilyn Lloyd and community leaders in Chattanooga to bring a Challenger Learning Center to the University of Tennessee at Chattanooga. Their vision was clear: place the center at a university, where it could serve as a bridge between K–12 education and higher learning — embedding STEM inspiration at the heart of an academic community.
In 1994, the UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center opened its doors — becoming the first Challenger Learning Center built on a university campus anywhere in the nation. That distinction shaped everything about how we operate. Being embedded in a university means our programs are academically rigorous, standards-aligned, and enriched by the research and expertise of UTC faculty and students. It means our reach extends from kindergartners to college freshmen to working professionals.
Here at UTC, we are privileged to be a hub of collaboration for the university, school district, business community, city, and region.
"We were the very first, which allowed us to become educationally focused," said Dr. Valerie Rutledge, Dean of the UTC College of Health, Education and Professional Studies. "Educational opportunities range from middle-grade students up through our first-year experience classes."
Our Mission
Today's students are tomorrow's innovators. But too many lose interest in crucial subjects like science, technology, engineering, and math at an early age. This limits their opportunities in life and their career options in a global economy.
The UTC Challenger STEM Learning Center exists to change that — inspiring and engaging a diverse, creative, and inclusive community of learners to pursue career pathways in Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, and Mathematics.
What We Do
- Simulated space missions for K–12 students
- STEAM learning labs aligned to TN standards
- Virtual missions for remote and hybrid classrooms
- Team building programs for corporate groups
- Summer STEAM camps for rising 3rd–6th graders
- First-year experience programs for UTC students
- Professional development for educators
- Community events and public STEAM programming
- Birthday parties and venue rentals
All programs are housed in a fully equipped facility featuring a shuttle simulator, mission control room, spacecraft, and multiple STEAM learning labs.
Be Part of the Mission
Whether you are a teacher planning a field trip, a business building a stronger team, a family looking for something extraordinary, or a donor investing in the next generation — there is a place for you here.