Challenger STS-51L - In Their Memory...

[gablau]

I was 39 years old when the Challenger perished. I remember, the launch was postponed several times. I tried to watch it every single time (I had cable with NASA channel already).
But on the tragic day I had to perform an emergency surgery, just when the launch was scheduled.

As I came out from the operating room, I rushed to the doctor's lounge hoping for replays. The number of people in the lounge was already a surprise. It was packed with other doctors, nurses, employs, all staring the TV screen. When I came in, somebody remarked "Dr. L, the Challenger exploded".

First, it just passed through my mind as an impossibility. The person perhaps misunderstood it, something may have happened which he thought it was an explosion, I simply could not believe the statement. But within seconds the TV replayed what happened and I saw what we all saw. I still didn't believe it. Yes, it look like something bad happened, but......I couldn't find a logical alternative, but I still didn't believe it. Then I heard the voice announcement that the "Challenger exploded".
At this point my disbelief started to break up slowly. "Yes, perhaps it did", but I still found it impossible that the astronauts would have died. I was waiting for some announcement that "here and here they were picked up by such and such ship and they are fine".

I stayed there for I don't remember how long, all I remember that I was glued to the TV set and I was waiting for the "good news". It didn't come. It still took about a full day until my mind was able to accept that indeed this was a true tragedy, despite all the related announcements.

[bjbeard]

I was living in Centerville, Tennessee at that time, I was 13 years old and had a big cast on my right foot. Mom and I were headed to open up the pro-shop at the golf course my parents ran. Dad and his golf buddies were at a course about 30 minutes away when it happened.

Mom and I were in a loaned sky-blue 82 Mustang, dad had taken the van and one of his buddies let us use his car while they were gone. Mom and I had been talking about the upcoming test in math I had, and I turned on the radio and the announcer came on the air. I still remember his exact words..."From reports we have received the space shuttle Challenger has apparently exploded about one minute into its launch." My eyes went wide as dinner plates and so did Mom's. We were just passing the first green on the course, and she floored the rather anemic 302. We got into the shop and flipped the TV on and tuned in CNN.

The rest of the day is a blur, except for John Holloman's attempts to stop the wild speculation that was occurring on the broadcast networks, and that damn fireball they kept playing over and over ad nauseum.

I must have cried for 4 hours that night...after the impact had finally settled in.

[Mr.Fickles]

24 years today, RIP  

[schmidtrock]

God speed Challenger. 

[Admin]

Yes, this is a sad week indeed for NASA - the losses of Apollo I, Challenger and Columbia happened all during the last week of January and first week of February.

May their sacrifice be remembered.

/Admin

[Nicholas]

24 years later, it shows the weaknesses of the space shuttle program. A machine of incredible complexity that does not forgive weakness.
A thought to Judith Resnik and the whole crew... I was 6, and I'll remember that tragic day all my life.

Godspeed Challenger.

[Richard R]

Godspeed the Crew of Apollo 1, STS-51-L and STS-107

[simking]

Yes god speed to all the crews I still remember Regan's speech.
a rough week for nasa plus the announced the death of the moon mission.

[Augustus]

It was a Desaster.
For the NASA and the Spaceflight missions everywehre.
I will never forget about that.

[robm61071]

I was in my early 20's @ work (ice cream factory) when she had launched, then disaster.  Didn't know about it til getting home in the afternoon (no tv/radios allowed).  After hearing the "rumors" on the ride home (bus), of course like all, didn't want to believe it.  Hit the local news (interest was big time due to Christa here in N.E.).  Didn't take less than 30 sec. when the video showing the launch & accident.  Broke out an tape wanting to document all I could (for remembrance/history purposes).  Still have them (getting a bit dated, so to speak) & replay them every year.  Rerecorded them to DVD.  Please don't take this as being morbid, its just my way of remembrance to the Challenger (Do the same for 9/11 as well).

After a couple of mos  had past, had sent a request to NASA asking for a couple of pics of the Challenger on liftoff that day, as well as other images (before internet) for model making.  Received a few & have 1 still in frame w/ mission patch (liftoff) for my tribute.

Still wipe a tear or two.  Don't want to get political here but dam you Ray Gun & Bush.  Nuf Said.

Live on Challenger       

[Admin]

...<SNIP>...  Don't want to get political here but dam you Ray Gun & Bush....       

You may want to read "Riding Rockets" by Astronaut Mike Mullane to understand the almost unbelievable NASA mismanagement that inevitably led to this catastrophe. No Ray Gun or Bush I'm afraid...

/Admin

[Spacewalker]

I would also highly recommend the book "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" by Allan J. McDonald.

This is a real eye-opener about the mismanagement and bad decisions that led to the accident, as well as the cover-ups and attempts to hide the truth after the accident.

(McDonald was one of the leading engineers at Morton Thiokol, which was the company that built the SRBs. He was one of the very few people who always stood by the truth and had the guts to stand up against the cover-up attempts of the managers of the company he worked for.)

[Augustus]

Sorry, but are there any books in german aviable ?

[Spaceguy5]

I would also highly recommend the book "Truth, Lies, and O-Rings" by Allan J. McDonald.

This is a real eye-opener about the mismanagement and bad decisions that led to the accident, as well as the cover-ups and attempts to hide the truth after the accident.

(McDonald was one of the leading engineers at Morton Thiokol, which was the company that built the SRBs. He was one of the very few people who always stood by the truth and had the guts to stand up against the cover-up attempts of the managers of the company he worked for.)

Yeah, I saw him (Either that, or it was another gutsy Morton Thiokol engineer) in a documentary about Challenger.

[Yossarian1943]

Tuesday, 28th January 1986. Just two days before my 14th birthday. I was at home, in my room. Played something. My TV was on, but i had switched off the audio. Looked up to the news and saw the strange trail of smoke...i immidiately realized that something happened to Challenger. Thought about the German "D1" Mission a year before. Challenger, like Columbia, was my favourite shuttle.  A sad day....