Space Shuttle Challenger

[Engineer]

It was 30 years ago today.

I still remember where I was when I found out.

[Irish_Alley]

i was merely 1 years old, but i do remember hearing about it on tv. i dont know why but it had to be a few years later, maybe 5 year anniversary?

[bd]

It was 30 years ago today.

I still remember where I was when I found out.

Me too.  Quite vividly.  It still begs a tear from my eyes....

[AZ87V10]

I was a little over 3 years old at the time. But I vividly remember sitting in the living room with mom watching the launch live on tv. It's still a sad thing to think about.

[BBM3]

I remember President Reagan addressing us afterwords.
4:05 - 4:20 is particularly moving.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=gEjXjfxoNXM

[roger97338]

From Wikipedia (regarding the pilot and co-pilot):

While analyzing the wreckage, investigators discovered that several electrical system switches on Pilot Mike Smith's right-hand panel had been moved from their usual launch positions. Fellow astronaut Richard Mullane wrote, "These switches were protected with lever locks that required them to be pulled outward against a spring force before they could be moved to a new position." Later tests established that neither force of the explosion nor the impact with the ocean could have moved them, indicating that Smith made the switch changes, presumably in a futile attempt to restore electrical power to the cockpit after the crew cabin detached from the rest of the orbiter.

and

Astronaut and NASA lead accident investigator Robert Overmyer said, "I not only flew with Dick Scobee, we owned a plane together, and I know Scob did everything he could to save his crew. Scob fought for any and every edge to survive. He flew that ship without wings all the way down... "

Those two men, alive after the explosion, piloting nothing more than the unpowered  crew compartment, didn't give up. They did everything they were trained to do, to save the lives of their friends and themselves. That, to me, is the epitome of courage.

[VileZambonie]

I was home sick with the chicken pox from school and they just kept playing it over and over and over again on the news. I didn't fully comprehend what happened but remember wanting to watch cartoons instead and my Mother bit my head off and yelled at me because she was so upset. Then I realized what had actually happened and that people had died. One of our school teachers was second in line behind Christa McAuliffe and boy was he glad that she didn't chicken out. I remember the NASA jokes (Need Another Seven Astronauts) and everyone laughing about it, so much so that our teachers had us write reports on what had actually happened and take clippings out of the newspapers. It wasn't until then that we really understood that it wasn't funny and it helped us all recognize this event. I am thankful for my teachers who helped us kids realize what these events meant back then. Our parents were mostly like "go play in traffic" and never took the time to enlighten us where I was from. So this event still holds a lot of memories for me and lessons learned. When I'm an old fart I can tell my kids about it

[LTZ C20]

Oh kids and society are not held to the same standards and life lessons as decades past. Tragedies such as this don't teach life lessons like they used too. I was not around when this happened but I feel for those that were and I'm happy to say my parents spanked me as a child. Taught me a lot about respect and being a good person.

[Blazin]

I was 15 years old, home sick from school ( not with the chicken pox, got them for my 28th birthday! ) Laying on the couch, watching the launch. Was a special event for me as Christa McAuliffe was from Concord N.H. the capitol of our state. New Hampshire is known for many things across the country. As a New Hampshire native we were all excited to be a part of history in the making. The first teacher in space, I remember seeing the explosion. I had seen most all the launches as I was very interested in space as a kid. I had been to Cape Canaveral three years earlier. When it exploded, I knew instantly that something was terribly wrong.

[87max]

Ya you never forget the days like that one. I was in 8th grade walking down the hall when it got announced on the pa. TVs started rolling into classes and that was all that was discussed rest of the day.

[Knuckles19d]

I know this one is a few weeks old, but FBHW played an interview NPR did with one of the engineers that tried to stop the launch. He and another engineer had reported anonymously to them shortly after the explosion. Poor guy has had it on his back for 30 years. Anyway... Heres the link, it's worth a listen.

http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2016/01/28/464744781/30-years-after-disaster-challenger-engineer-still-blames-himself

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