U.S. Secretary of Education Margaret Spellings today issued the following statement commemorating the 20th anniversary of the loss of the space shuttle Challenger:

"On January 28, 1986, millions of Americans watched a national tragedy unfold on live television with the loss of the shuttle Challenger. We shared that tragedy with a generation of school children, who had tuned in to watch Christa McAuliffe-a teacher-become the first private citizen in space. For many young viewers that day, the shuttle disaster remains their first enduring memory.

As President Ronald Reagan said then, the seven astronauts aboard the Challenger were pioneers. Like the men and women of Apollo I and the shuttle Columbia, they gave their lives for discovery in the best traditions of our country. Christa McAuliffe wanted to inspire students across the country by sharing the wonders of space and science with them. And today, she and the other members of the Challenger continue to inspire us. We honor their lives of courage and remember the great cause for which they gave them."

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