Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrates with no survivors
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I remember what I was doing on this day in 1986. I was sitting before the television watching coverage of mission STS-51-L of the space shuttle program aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger which disintegrated due to structural failure some 73 seconds after liftoff in a large explosion and none of the seven astronauts on board survived.
The mission ran for 1 minute 13 seconds prior to the disaster.
Within the calendar Apollo1 and STS-51-L are quite proximal. However, the Challenger disaster and Apollo 1 fire are quite remote from the standpoint of actual time indices.
The Challenger disaster was a shocking moment for me personally. Likely the fact that I viewed the event on live television added to the impact. Some of the discovery process undertaken in trying to ascertain the cause and effects of this tragedy were in their own light disturbing as well with accusations of 'convenient memory' and to this day I think the mission should have gone down in warmer weather.
I think the "O rings" said to be the fundamental failure might have fared better.
The doomed flight was the 25th mission of the United States Space Shuttle program and was intended to carry out routine transportation for Earth-to-orbit crew and cargo. It was the implementation of the first Teacher in Space Project. It was also scheduled as the final flight of Space Shuttle Challenger.
| Commander | Francis R Scobee | |
| Pilot | Michael J Smith | |
| Mission Specialist 1 | Ellison S Onizuka | |
| Mission Specialist 2 | Judith A Resnik | |
| Mission Specialist 3 | Ronald E McNair | |
| Payload Specialist 1 | Gregory B Jarvis | |
| Payload Specialist 2 | S Christa McAuliffe |
I recall thinking how badly things must be turning out as the officials quickly led the parents of Christa McAuliffe from the grandstands where they had assembled to watch the lift off. Her father in particular tore at my heartstrings as he walked away. Even then I had a soft spot for daddies and mamas.
Such went the Satellite deployment, Christa McAuliffe the first teacher in space, Ron McNair who was one of the sharpest intellects with whom I have ever interacted, not to forget Judy Resnick who was a engineering marvel qualified in multiple disciplines ... INCLUDING my own; and all seven souls will — like the crew of Apollo 1 — go down in history as heroes of the United States and NASA.
Rest in peace.
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