Your “friend” is a good demonstration of why substantive discussion with liberals is pointless. Their lack of intelligence and inner malevolence makes it impossible.
In a sense, this person was gloating over a mass murder that occurred moments ago. Gross.
It is a joke, just like the one that got Washington DC shock jock “the Greaseman” fired.
His comment was that NASA means “need another seven astronauts” which was made after Challenger blew up after launch.