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View Full Version : Space Shuttle Program, NASA Remember 25-Year Anniversary of Challenger Explosion



Southern Belle
01-28-2011, 10:51 PM
NASA on Friday remembered the Challenger space shuttle disaster and the seven crew members that died on board, 25 years after the incident.

At several locations including the Arlington National Cemetery in Washington D.C. and at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida, NASA officials and the families of the astronauts gathered.

Bob Cabana, the Kennedy Space Center Director, said that the Challenger disaster, “much like the assassination of President Kennedy, the Apollo 11 landing on the moon, [and] September, 11, 2001, ... define our history.”

Challenger broke into pieces just over a minute after it launched on Jan. 28, 1986 after its solid rocket booster failed and pressurized hot gas caused the craft to explode.

The craft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean. For a number of months after the accident, there were no space shuttle launches.

Despite being one of the worst space disasters in US history, Cabana said that the tragedy did not stop the space agency from progressing further.

“We will continue to strive to be better, to explore, to expand our knowledge of our universe and to reach beyond,” he said.

Then-President Ronald Reagan canceled his State of the Union address and made a special announcement regarding the tragedy.

Southern Belle
01-28-2011, 10:55 PM
Like other history changing events, most people can remember exactly where and what they were doing when it happened.

I was in Miami with my ex and brother working night shift. The temperature had dropped to the 20s in Miami that night and we'd all gotten in from work, had breakfast and showers and were watching the news. It was shocking to sit there and watch it happen. Very sad.

Where were you?

Hal-9000
01-31-2011, 06:08 PM
I was living in Banff, went to a huge house party and got in a fight.I got my ass kicked for about 20 minutes according to onlookers and woke up in Calgary the next day.

Saw the shuttle explosion picture on the front page of the paper, made some remark to a stranger who was reading the same story and he said and I quote - Whoa man....were you a passenger on that thing when it blew, you look terrible.

I'm not trying to make a joke, but I had bootprints on my forehead and both of my pupils were pure red.It was such a surreal moment as both losing the fight so badly and the shuttle disaster were not my everyday occurrences....