Personal treasure: NASA Space Shuttle Challenger Commemoratice Medallion

The truth be told, I do not spend all my spare time gazing at the stars, much as I enjoy that part of my life, I also spend a few lost hours each week trawling through the local charity shops.

I have a keen and eclectic interest in art and sculpture, which also includes glass and ceramics.

Although, more and more of these shops are going over to women's clothes and accessories, I do find some interesting treasures now and again.

This week I was delighted and amazed to come across this bronze Shuttle medallion.

I was delighted, because it is such a memento of many historic moments in space exploration, and amazed because it was so far away from it's point of manufacture.

Each Shuttle mission was pioneering and, in itself, historical but I was surprised to see the extensive list shown.

This particular medallion commemorates the ill-fated Space Shuttle Challenger's historic STS 41G mission, launched on October 5, 1984.

The mission crew members' crew Photograph and mission Patch are shown below.

The Patch contains the names of the crew; Commander Robert L. Crippen, Pilot Jon A. McBride, Mission Specialist Kathryn D. Sullivan, Mission Specialist Sally K. Ride, Mission Specialist David C. Leestma, Canadian Payload Specialist Marc Garneau (CSA), Payload Specialist Paul D. Scully-Power.

Shuttle Mission 410G was memorable because it was;

• First Seven Member Crew, 
• First In-Flight Re-fuelling of a satellite, 
• First US flight with 2 women crew, 
• Dr Sullivan who became the first US woman to walk in space (EVA), 
• Marc Garneau who was the first Canadian (CSA) crew member,