Judith Resnik

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Judith Resnik was born April 5, 1949 in Akron, Ohio. She was the daughter of Russian Jewish immigrants, the first-generation Jewish Russian parents. The Resniks were an upper middle-class Jewish family. All of there time was devoted to learning. Judith’s mother's name was Sarah Resnik, and her dad's name was Marvin Resnik. Judith Resnik had one brother, Charles, who was 4 years younger than her. Marvin (Judith’s dad), was an optometrist.

Judith graduated from Firestone High School in 1966. She received the Bachelor of Science degree in electrical engineering. Resnik was a student who excelled in mathematics and played classical piano. She was described as popular!

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Judith Resnik was awarded the space medal of honor. Resnik was the second American woman to go into space.

Judith went on the Space ship, Challenger, and she died because it blew up. She enjoyed bicycling, running, and flying during her free time. Judith Resnik was a classical pianist.

Judith Resnik’s childhood hero is Ralph Waldo Emerson. He once said “what lies behind us and what lies before us are all small matters,” this certainly reflects Judith’s heart!

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Judith Resnik went to Carnegie Tech in Pittsburg, where she planned to become a math major. After a year, math stopped being numbers. Now Resnik was majoring in electrical engineering. As a freshman at Carnegie Tech, she met Michael Oldak, another electrical engineering major.

Resnik married Oldak in 1970. They separated, then divorced two years later. When Oldak started law school at Georgetown in 1971, Judith went to the University of Maryland. She majored as a doctor. Judith worked a lot of jobs when she was earning her degree.

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Judith worked for the RCA. Later Resnik worked for the National Institute of Health. In 1977, she was working for Ph.D in electrical engineering.

NASA was looking for people or mission specialists to do experiments in space. Judith decided to apply. Resnik was not a typical astronaut applicant. She wasn’t one of those people who dreamed to walk on the moon. In January 1978, Judith found out she was selected to go into space. Resnik competed with 8,000 other military men. She was the second American woman to go into space. After a few years, she went on the Challenger. After seconds of blast off, the Challenger blew up.

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Resnik got her Ph.D in electrical engineering. Resnik got selected to go on the Challenger out of 8,000 other applicants.

The challenger went up into space and after seconds it blew up. It was the 200th anniversary of the U.S.A.

Judith died on the Challenger in 1986. She was 36.

Judith Resnik is a hero because she risked her life by taking a chance and going of into space to accomplish a Challenging task. We all respect her accomplishments.