The Challenger Seven

Twenty-four years ago today, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 74 seconds after lift-off, killing all 7 crew members on board. On this day, I remember standing outside my high school during lunch period, and noticing trails of smoke reaching up into the northern sky. With my school some 150 miles south of Cape Canaveral, I was intrigued by the sight, and a little curious, too - something just didn't look right. So I rushed home afterwards, turned on the TV, and watched the network coverage of the horrific event. And I remember feeling numb. Never before had the nation lost an astronaut in flight.

Tragic as they are, these memories are burned into my mind. But I will always remember, too, the words with which our president, The Great Communicator, eulogized these brave explorers and consoled a nation:

"The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and slipped the surly bonds of earth, to touch the face of God.'" [Ronald Reagan, Jan. 28, 1986]

In Memoriam:

Francis R (Dick) Scobee (Commander)
Michael J Smith (Pilot)
Ron McNair (Mission Specialist)
Ellison Onizuka (Mission Specialist)
Judy Resnick (Mission Specialist)
Gregory Jarvis (Payload Specialist)
Christa McAuliffe (Teacher In Space)