What is michael j smith challenger?

Michael J. Smith was a NASA astronaut who served as the pilot of the Space Shuttle Challenger's maiden voyage. Smith was born on April 30, 1945, in Beaufort, North Carolina, and earned a Bachelor of Science in Naval Science from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1967. After graduation, Smith served as a fighter pilot in the United States Navy for several years and was later selected to be an astronaut in 1980.

Smith made his first spaceflight aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger in 1983 as the pilot. He later served as the commander of the Shuttle in January 1986 for its final mission, STS-51L. Unfortunately, during the launch, Challenger experienced an explosion, killing all seven crew members, including Smith.

Smith was posthumously awarded numerous honors for his service, including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor and the NASA Space Flight Medal. Additionally, the naval air station at Beaufort, where Smith learned to fly, was renamed in his honor.