Space Shuttle Challenger Remembrance Day

Education

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: Wright
Last action: 2026-01-29
Official status: Senate - Adopted
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

The official source does not provide specific details on how this resolution affects educators and students.

Space Shuttle Challenger Remembrance Day

This resolution designates January 28, 2026, as Space Shuttle Challenger Remembrance Day in Florida to honor those who died on the Challenger and reflect on Florida's role in space exploration.

What This Bill Does

Designates January 28, 2026, as Space Shuttle Challenger Remembrance Day in Florida.
Honors the crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger who lost their lives on January 28, 1986.
Reflects on Florida's enduring role in space exploration.

Who It Names or Affects

People living in Florida

Terms To Know

Space Shuttle Challenger: A NASA spacecraft that tragically exploded on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members.
Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee: An educational facility in Florida that uses space-themed activities to teach science and math to students.

Limits and Unknowns

The resolution does not create any new laws or regulations.
It is a symbolic recognition without financial implications.

Bill History

2026-01-29 Senate
• Introduced • Read 2nd time • Adopted
2026-01-22 Senate
• Filed

Official Summary Text

Space Shuttle Challenger Remembrance Day; Recognizing January 28, 2026, as “Space Shuttle Challenger Remembrance Day” in Florida to honor the Challenger crew, reflect on Florida’s enduring role in space exploration, and reaffirm this state’s commitment to education, safety, innovation, and the peaceful exploration of space, etc.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

Florida Senate
-
2026

(NP) SR 1772

By
Senator Wright

8-02070-26 20261772__
1 Senate Resolution
2 A resolution recognizing January 28, 2026, as “Space
3 Shuttle
Challenger
Remembrance Day” in Florida to
4 honor the
Challenger
crew, reflect on Florida’s
5 enduring role in space exploration, and reaffirm this
6 state’s commitment to education, safety, innovation,
7 and the peaceful exploration of space.
8
9 WHEREAS, January 28, 2026, marks the 40th anniversary of
10 the Space Shuttle
Challenger
disaster, a defining moment in the
11 history of American space exploration when seven astronauts lost
12 their lives in service to discovery, innovation, and the
13 advancement of human knowledge, and
14 WHEREAS, for generations, Florida has served as the
15 nation’s primary gateway to space, and the legacy of the Space
16 Shuttle Program is engrained in this state’s identity,
17 workforce, and leadership in aerospace innovation, and
18 WHEREAS, the
Challenger
crew—Francis R. Scobee, Michael J.
19 Smith, Judith A. Resnik, Ellison S. Onizuka, Ronald E. McNair,
20 Gregory B. Jarvis, and Sharon Christa McAuliffe—exemplified
21 courage and a shared commitment to exploration which continues
22 to inspire the global space community, and
23 WHEREAS, Sharon Christa McAuliffe, selected as the first
24 teacher in space, embodied the powerful connection between space
25 exploration and education, inspiring students and educators to
26 see science, engineering, and curiosity as engines of progress,
27 and
28 WHEREAS, the lessons learned from the
Challenger
disaster
29 led to lasting improvements in aerospace engineering, safety
30 culture, and mission oversight, advances that continue to shape
31 the way the space industry operates in Florida today, and
32 WHEREAS, the Challenger Learning Center of Tallahassee
33 stands as a living tribute to the
Challenger
crew, inspiring
34 students across Florida through hands-on education in science,
35 technology, engineering, and mathematics and cultivating the
36 next generation of scientists, engineers, and explorers who will
37 carry Florida’s space legacy forward, NOW, THEREFORE,
38
39 Be It Resolved by the Senate of the State of Florida:
40
41 That January 28, 2026, is recognized as “Space Shuttle
42
Challenger
Remembrance Day” in Florida to honor the
Challenger

43 crew, reflect on Florida’s enduring role in space exploration,
44 and reaffirm this state’s commitment to education, safety,
45 innovation, and the peaceful exploration of space.