Remembering Challenger 20 Years Later

[syscom3]

Its hard to believe it was 20 years ago this happened.

http://news.yahoo.com/fc/Science/Space_Shuttle

 

[evangilder]

It is indeed hard to believe it was that long ago. I still remember hearing about it, where I was and how I found out. Funny how some memories like that never fade.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

I was living in Canada at the time. I was flying from Moncton NB back to Montreal in a DC-9, the pilot decided to climb over a thunderstorm to the east of Moncton. The worse commercial flight I ever took! Got back to my house, put on the news, the Challenger launch was on. Still shaken from my flight I just about keeled over when I saw the Challenger explode! My god, it seems like yesterday!

 

[evangilder]

It really does seem like yesterday, Joe. I was at Lakenheath at the time. JI had just gotten off a cold day shift. I walked into the dayroom at the barracks and the TV was on. A guy named Reggie Reese said "The shuttle just blew up!". I was taken aback and said something like that wasn't funny. Then the coverage came on the TV. Aside from the Super Bowl, that was the most crowded the dayroom had been all year. We all watched in shock on the TV. Most of us had TVs in our rooms, but I think we all felt comfort to get the mutual support at the shock.

The scary part is that we still fly those darn things.

 

[Hunter368]

I remember it very clearly still I was 16 old and on my way out to play hockey at the rink. I remember everyone talking about it in the dressing room. Sad day.

 

[FLYBOYJ]

Yep - as recently quoted "The most dangerous spacecraft ever built."

 

[syscom3]

I was working for TRW in Redondo Beach back then. Many people in the many aerospace firms in that part of Los Angeles worked on the shuttle or knew someone who did. It was a collective loss knowing something you worked on went out in such a manner.

 

[Erich]

had just come off a tree estimate and walked in turned on the TV and watched the ugly thing in living colour

 

[Gnomey]

I wasn't born, but I have still seen the pictures, horrifying.

 

[lesofprimus]

I was watching the blastoff on TV with my younger brother, when all of a sudden, BOOM, it exploded.... Absolutely one of the worst feelings I've ever had the misfortune of dealing with...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I remember sitting in front of the TV watching the launch Live and thinking how cool it must be to go into Space and how lucky there were on the Challenger and then watching explode. It really left me with an empty feeling.

 

[the lancaster kicks ass]

they say the same about 9/11, you'll never forget when you heard, even i remember and at the time i didn't really grasp how serious it was, i was actually quite annoyed they'd stopped the kids TV for the news coverage of it..........

 

[trackend]

I think a lot of the shock was that many people had become complacent about space travel as if it was like nipping down the grocers in the family motor. Instead (as it still is) a very hairy ride on the biggest firework in the world.
I think it was the assassination of Kennedy that stands out for me it really seemed that a chance for better things was lost. Rose coloured glasses and all that I know, but at the time that's how many people felt.

 

[Clave]

Careless people cost lives...

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

I would not really lock down the Challenger to Carelessness but rather to a lack of knowledge and complaciency but not necessarilly carelessness.

 

[syscom3]

The faulty rings in the solid rocket boosters were a disaster waiting to happen. Unfortunatly for everyone involved, the engineers who were reporting the problems were ignored.

This is a classic case where you learn more in defeat than in victory.

 

[lesofprimus]

Cool Pic....

 

[DerAdlerIstGelandet]

Yeap that is a nice one.