25 years after Challenger
 

Today is the 25th anniversary of the Challenger accident.

I grew up in a town that was very closely tied to the shuttle program, Huntsville, AL. I went to Challenger Elementary and walked by a picture of those astronauts for years but never really thought about it.

When I was grown, sitting at my desk at work a couple years ago, I had a gentleman sit down at my desk on this day. (I was a customer service rep for a bank at that time). He didn't want anything.....just wanted to talk about the accident. He was in charge of the investigation of th O-rings, which were a big reason for the accident. It was haunting listening to him and after that I never forgot this day.

The biggest thing I remember from talking with him was that the astronauts were alive until they hit the water. Unconscious but alive. It made me think a little about that picture I walked by all those years ago.

Feb. First is the anniversary of the Columbia accident. I watched that one. Surreal. I think it takes a brave person to be an astronaut knowing how very wrong things could go.


Anyone remember these accidents? Where you were, etc?

I was four when Challenger happened, so I don't remember it. My fourth grade teacher was almost on board that ship, but he declined, which was a good thing. I remember the Columbia accident though. I was going to watch Endurance on NBC when they aired it, but the news of the accident was on, so I watched that instead. It was very sad to see.

I was in high school, Mr Dvoraks history class.
I think the moment the announcement came through will be burned into my brain for the rest of my days.

May we never forget all the fallen space travellers, and thank them for their brave service.

I was 6 when the Challenger blew and living in Texas. I don't remember any reactions of any of the adults around me. I don't think I even heard of the incident till years later when I watched a movie about it in history class.

Definatly remember the Columbia tho. Oi...

I don't remember it either.

I still remember when I found out. I was in the third grade. Everyone was talking about it. But I had not been told about it at home. Yet I put the pieces together very very quickly. And I was informed at home afterwards of everything.

I was about 10 years old....I was shocked and very sad when I saw the news...!.... I was a little girl dreaming with space adventures...

I was so excited and a lot of kids were following the story before accident, its was a big moment for all kids dreaming about be pilots/astronauts in a future, we were the generation ready to conquest the solar system!...and that was a shock for all!

I remeber also with much unpleasant /disagreeable memories some jokes about let females driving the Challenger...Kids can be so cruel sometimes.... :tsad:

I also live near Huntsville, in Decatur. My aunt was a member of the team who inspected the O-rings of every shuttle. I asked her once about Challenger and she told me that was the only shuttle she didn't get to inspect. It was one of those weird moments where you question if some things are suppose to happen. Not saying she was that integral to the team, but it is odd that a person who inspected every shuttle before and after (until she retired) wasn't part of the team that checked out Challenger's O-rings.

You know in real life I have that VHS recording when that shuttle blew up live on TV news. For some reason, my dad had this gut feeling like he had to record this space shuttle launch out of all of them that get launched into space. His instinct was correct. A minute into the recording, the shuttle blows up. And still after 25 years, I still have that VHS tape, and it's still in good condition. I also burned it along with other memorable news events to DVD. Some things I think should be reserved for future look backs.

1986
 

The same year as the Chernobyl disaster, and the assassination of Olof Palme.

It's a coincidence you mention Chernobyl's 25th anniversary time next month, considering the Japan situation.