The space shuttle carried politicians, though! The mission that landed right before Challenger carried the now-administrator of NASA and then Florida Congressma

The space shuttle carried politicians, though! The mission that landed right before Challenger carried the now-administrator of NASA and then Florida Congressman Bill Nelson. They also took up a republican rep or senator from Utah (where the SRBs were built). That’s pretty much the NASA equivalent of “paying customers.” I actually don’t disagree with your point at all, it’s just funny to look back at the teacher in space and who preceeded McAuliffe and who would have been next if Challenger hadn’t blown up (probably Walter Cronkite or Dan Rather).