Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

Remembering the Challenger - 19 Years

Posted on 01/28/2005 5:17:59 PM PST by silverleaf

Edited on 01/28/2005 7:01:57 PM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

http://www.cnn.com/resources/video.almanac/1986/challenger/challenger.lg.mov

The 25th mission in the Space Shuttle program, flown by the Challenger, ended tragically with the loss of its seven crew members and destruction of the vehicle when it exploded shortly after launch.

Back row from left to right: Ellison Onizuka, mission specialist; Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist; Gregory Jarvis, payload specialist; and Judith Resnik, mission specialist.

Front row from left to right: Michael Smith, pilot; Francis Scobee, commander; and Ronald McNair, mission specialist.


TOPICS: Breaking News; US: California; US: Florida; US: Texas
KEYWORDS: anniversary; challenger; history; nasa; spaceshuttle; sts51; sts51l
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160 ... 201-215 next last
To: silverleaf

I was in high school. It happened during Band, I had history afterwards where we watched the coverage. My history teacher had taped it for the historical value, not realizing how historical it would become. I bet she still has the tape!


121 posted on 01/28/2005 10:37:54 PM PST by msdrby (Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen and defended by its citizens.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Indy Pendance

Reagan memorial BUMP


122 posted on 01/28/2005 10:40:51 PM PST by Christian4Bush ("If Ted Kennedy has his way, democracy in Iraq will suffer the same fate as Mary Jo Kopechne.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 56 | View Replies]

To: Admin Moderator
Updated from various posts on the thread, moved to breaking news, an American tragedy, hope you don't mind.

To paraphrase Lincoln, it's altogether "fitting and proper" that you do this.

123 posted on 01/28/2005 10:43:39 PM PST by Christian4Bush ("If Ted Kennedy has his way, democracy in Iraq will suffer the same fate as Mary Jo Kopechne.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 66 | View Replies]

To: Libertina

Ain't that something. I was at CPAC when Columbia burned up on reentry.


124 posted on 01/28/2005 10:45:50 PM PST by Pyro7480 ("All my own perception of beauty both in majesty and simplicity is founded upon Our Lady." - Tolkien)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 117 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

Thank you so much for the link.


125 posted on 01/28/2005 10:48:00 PM PST by paulat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 19 | View Replies]

To: Dont_Tread_On_Me_888
You know that is very much the way I felt the morning I saw the Space Shuttle Columbia at 8:00 am (central) on re-entry.

It was cold out, I was getting my classroom ready for Monday. I walked out of my side door, and look overhead hoping to see the shuttle fly over. Instead, I saw what must have been what I now figure was part of the debris cloud (it looked like a strange sort of contrail).

I ran inside and turned on the radio, and found out that contact with the shuttle had been lost and that Houston was trying to find the shuttle. Later, the announcement was made that it had broken up on re-entry.

126 posted on 01/28/2005 10:50:34 PM PST by msdrby (Freedom, by its nature, must be chosen and defended by its citizens.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 100 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

Yes I do actually. I was stationed at Brooks AFB in Texas when someone from the clinic called and said to turn on the television that Challenger had blown up. Needless to say we sat glued to that set the entire day.


127 posted on 01/28/2005 10:53:43 PM PST by pctech
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: sjm_888
I was working for a bank outside of Chicago back in 1986. We all gathered around the radio listening in disbelief. I was still riding a high because the Chicago Bears had just won the Super bowl a few days before. Talk about highs and lows. My how time flies.

I was at 33 W. Monroe in Chicaco at Merrill Lynch, walking into the VP's office to break the news.... ...ironically...4 floors below us was the headquarters of the someday-to-be-disgraced Arthur Andersen.

128 posted on 01/28/2005 10:55:26 PM PST by paulat
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

I remember it so well. It still brings tears to my eyes.


129 posted on 01/28/2005 10:56:44 PM PST by TAdams8591 (It ceases to be OUR charity when the GOVERNMENT gives it away!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

The term 'tragedy' really comes to truth in this case - the hubris, political pressure and bureaucratic buck-passing ingrained in NASA made something like this all but inevitable, and in fact had been loosely predicted by some.

You would have thought they learned their lesson from Apollo I. It was one of those catalytic days where all of a suddent everyone involved clearly saw what he or she had been doing wrong.

One of the more revealing incidents came by Nobel-prize winning physicist Richard Feynman of CalTech. He showed how an Oring is resilient at room temperature, then put the Oring in ice water to simulate launch temperature. The Oring then broke cleanly in his fingers.

I don't remember seeing Challenger, but I did hear about it from a teacher (I was 5 at the time.) I do remember the first launch after that, the Discovery in 1988. I have it on tape as a matter of fact.


130 posted on 01/29/2005 12:05:00 AM PST by MIT-Elephant ("Armed with what? Spitballs?")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

Walking back from classes at James Madison University, I started seeing a couple of girls running around crying. I had no idea what was going on until I got into my dorm's TV lounge and there were 40-50 people packed in there watching the endless replays. Everyone was mesmerized until one girl finally snapped and started screaming at the TV, "STOP SHOWING IT! JUST STOP IT!", and ran out of the room in tears. That broke the spell and we all filtered out.

As for Columbia, I was sitting in front of my computer, and read about the disaster here on FR.

}:-)4


131 posted on 01/29/2005 2:56:01 AM PST by Moose4 (http://www.livejournal.com/~moose4. Because the Internet was made for self-important wanking.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: msdrby

Yes, when you see something live and then hear a few minutes later the broadcast announcement leaves you in a daze. Very weird feeling.


132 posted on 01/29/2005 4:49:37 AM PST by Dont_Tread_On_Me_888 (John Kerry--three fake Purple Hearts. George Bush--one real heart of gold.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 126 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf

I was about 3 months away from being born. Sorta glad I missed it..


133 posted on 01/29/2005 5:15:07 AM PST by TheRatHunter
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Pyro7480

Wow, how great that NASA wrote back to you!

I can't believe it has been that long, maybe because I remember it so well.
Makes me sounds like my grandma, writing that.


134 posted on 01/29/2005 5:42:08 AM PST by phancypants ("Walk cheerfully over the world")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 119 | View Replies]

To: silverleaf; Tijeras_Slim; FireTrack; Pukin Dog; citabria; B Knotts; kilowhskey; cyphergirl; ...

135 posted on 01/29/2005 5:59:53 AM PST by Aeronaut (You haven't seen a tree until you've seen its shadow from the sky. -- Amelia Earhart)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

Comment #136 Removed by Moderator

To: Motherbear

I was home sick in Gaylord, Minnesota from the 4th grade. I was listening to the radio (KDWB 101.3) and the announcer broke the news that the Challenger had exploded. I will always remember the next song they played on the radio was 'Conga' by Gloria Estefan and Miami Sound Machine. Whenever I hear that song now, I think of Challenger.

I spent the afternoon watching the replays and the amazing thing was, up until then I was never really interested in space. After that, I wrote to NASA and gathered as much information as I could and then I saw the movie Space Camp and in July, 1988 I attended Space Camp and was Commander of my flight crew. I have been into the space program since then. I will never forger their names, their faces and their courage. I never met them, but their sacrifice changed my life.

I cannot believe it has been 19 years...it seems like it was just yesterday. I still have the Time magazine about the explosion and several newspapers from that day. God bless them all.


137 posted on 01/29/2005 7:26:04 AM PST by huskers2004 (Intuitive improvisation is the secret of genius.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 136 | View Replies]

Comment #138 Removed by Moderator

Comment #139 Removed by Moderator

To: ken5050
Terrible tragedy, it upsets me when i think about it, i was in Australia Sydney (where i still live) i was at home watching it late in the evening, i was about 10 years old. Saddens me.
American astronauts have balls. Something to be proud of.
140 posted on 01/29/2005 7:40:00 AM PST by Bart Ristuccia
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 50 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 101-120121-140141-160 ... 201-215 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson