SAN DIEGO (KGTV) — Forty years after the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew members on board, a Mira Mesa middle school named in its honor is making sure their legacy lives on. Challenger Middle School marked the anniversary Wednesday with a campus-wide memorial, reflecting on the historic mission and the lives lost in the 1986 tragedy. The school was being built around the time of the Challenger disaster, which is how it received its name. Students and teachers gathered in the quad as part of the ceremony, which included musical performances and readings honoring the crew. “We come together and honor the seven astronauts that lost their lives, and for the students to understand the namesake of our school,” Sullivan said.