He was elevated to the role of spacecraft commander for the STS-51-L mission ( challenger mission ) and the mission was designed to deploy a satellite to study the approaching Halley 's Comet and to inaugurate the Teacher in Space Project which was delayed several times due to bad weather and technical glitches . Scobee was elevated to the role of spacecraft commander for the ill-fated STS-51-L mission . The mission , designed to deploy a satellite to study the approaching Halley 's Comet and to inaugurate the Teacher in Space Project , was delayed numerous times due to bad weather and technical glitches .