Indeed the quote Beyonce made (at the end of the excerpt) seemed very respectful.
How many kids even know about the shuttle disaster now?
I have no idea. Though a couple years or so ago I ran across an article which showed the role of PowerPoint in the Challenger disaster. (similar article) — basically what happened was that the forces involved were so far outside the tested-parameters of their data that the tests were useless*, something that was glossed-over again and again as it went to higher and higher levels.
* If this were realized at those high-levels, there would have been a spacewalk to visually inspect the heat-shielding tiles before attempting re-entry.
Are you confusing the Challenger with the Columbia?
Columbia blew up on re-entry, Challenger just a minute or so after lift off.
The heat shield problem was the Columbia disaster....................
Challenger exploded on the way up - Columbia came apart on the way back...