A TALE OF Four CHALLENGERS

The original HMS Challenger, which was technically the 5th ship to carry that name, took part in the Challenger Expedition from 1872 - 1876. The Challenger Expedition was the first global-scale oceanographic deep-sea expedition. The scientists on board the HMS Challenger were tasked by the British government to examine the physics, chemistry, and biology of the world's ocean. They brought back a treasure trove of new and interesting animals, which gave us the first real look at deep-sea biology.

In 1972, the Apollo 17 Lunar Module (LM) Challenger carried the last two astronauts to the Moon. It also carried a Lunar Rover (LR 17) and an experiment package which were used to collect lunar samples and take measurements. At the end of the mission, astronauts placed a plaque on the Moon with the words, "Here man completed his first exploration of the Moon, December 1972 A.D. May the spirit of peace in which he came be reflected in the lives of all mankind." After the astronaut took their last steps on the Moon, the rejoined the Command/Service Module (CSM) in orbit and jettisoned the LM Challenger. The Challenger then crashed into the Moon, where it remains to this day.

The Space Shuttle Challenger, also named for this first deep-sea exploration vessel, was the second shuttle to orbit the Earth in 1983. Unfortunately, this shuttle and its crew did not survive the Challenger disaster, which occurred soon after launch three years later.. The Challenger led the fleet of shuttles at that time, being used for 10 missions, including the one that carried the first American woman in space, Sally Ride.

The Deepsea Challenger is a single-occupant submersible capable of descending to 11,000 meters depth. In 2012, it carried filmmaker James Cameron to the deepest point in the ocean, Challenger Deep in the Mariana Trench.