Challenger

Post by **Xouqoa** » January 28, 2003, 12:34 pm

Today is the 17th anniversary of the Challenger space shuttle disaster... just in case you didn't know. Here's the original news story from the BBC, as well as some people recalling their memories of the event.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/date ... 506161.stm

http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/witn ... 643109.stm

Myself, I don't remember much about it since I was only 8 years old and in second grade... I just remember the teachers turning off the television very quickly after it happened, and trying to keep us from seeing it. Then I went home and asked my mom what happened and she tried to explain it to me amongst quite a bit of crying.

Fredonia Coldheart · January 28, 2003, 12:36 pm

I was in Fenton Hall at college waiting for my next math class to start.

Bubba Grizz · Post by **Bubba Grizz** » January 28, 2003, 12:38 pm

I was just waking up to go to work when I saw it on the news. I was in Japan at that time working for the USAF.

Midnyte_Ragebringer · January 28, 2003, 12:38 pm

I was in class. The teachers turned the TV's on. We all watched the coverage for the rest of the day and talked about it. It was a very sad day.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 28, 2003, 12:39 pm

7th grade i think. watched it on TV like everybody else. Our school closed early.

Kylere · Post by **Kylere** » January 28, 2003, 12:40 pm

I was in the 9th grade, sitting in a World Civ class, and with all the teacher in space stuff, the teacher had wheeled in a TV, and we were watching it live.

Certain moments in life stick to you, this was decidedly one of them. I knew at that moment that any chance of humanity moving out and using the incredible resources of our solar system were gone in my lifetime.

miir · Post by **miir** » January 28, 2003, 12:42 pm

I remember it like it was yesterday.

Lalanae · Post by **Lalanae** » January 28, 2003, 12:46 pm

I lived in Clear Lake City, where the Johnson Space Center is. My father was an engineer for a NASA contractor and was involved in the design of stuff on the space shuttle and I went to school with kids whose dad's were astronauts. It was one of the darkest days of my life, seeing my father come home and lock himself up in his room for several days.

Lor · Post by **Lor** » January 28, 2003, 12:52 pm

I was at my MP post in Darnel Hospital on Fort Hood TX.

Horrible day

Sabek · Post by **Sabek** » January 28, 2003, 12:54 pm

End of my sophmore year in high school. Was a very sad day in deed.

Canelek · Post by **Canelek** » January 28, 2003, 12:59 pm

I believe I was in 6th grade and it was announced over the intercom. Horrible day indeed

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 28, 2003, 1:09 pm

Challenger was one of the few events that has brought tears to my eyes. I woke up to the sounds of the event on TV in the next room. On top of the tragedy of human loss, I knew our space program would be set back several years. Our space program has never been the same IMO.

Nice that you posted in remembrance of this Xou.

Homercles · Post by **Homercles** » January 28, 2003, 1:10 pm

I was a freshman in high school. I was sitting in the library watching the launch. I'll never forget seeing the explosion and the resulting shocked silence from everyone around me.

I still have several newspaper clippings covering the incident.

Deward · Post by **Deward** » January 28, 2003, 1:17 pm

I was in 7th grade math class. It was announced to us over the speaker by the principal to the school. At lunch time I went into the library and watched it on TV. Lots of people were crying. I kind of view it as our generations JFK. Not quite the same thing of course but it really changed us as a nation. I will always rememeber that day.

Deward

Kilmoll the Sexy · Post by **Kilmoll the Sexy** » January 28, 2003, 1:21 pm

I was a sophomore in high school and was watching with a ton of people in the cafeteria. It just did not seem real when it happened. For some reason it was just like we were watching a TV program and it was not all that unusual. It is odd to look back and remember feeling that it was not really shocking then.

My freshman science teacher was actually a finalist in the selection process for the teacher in space program and had he been selected, he would have been on that shuttle. He is also the photographer that is going to be doing my wedding.

vn_Tanc · Post by **vn_Tanc** » January 28, 2003, 1:22 pm

I was extremely interested in the US space program when I was a nipper and watched the first shuttle launches avidly. Then my interest kind of drifted and I watched fewer, then none. Then out of the blue I decided to watch one again as it was live on TV and it was this one.
My clearest memories are of seeing the bang and mentally running through the shuttle's escape systems and coming up blank. Then we heard the PA announcer at Cape Kennedy inform the horrified crowd that there had been a "major systems malfunction" which was such an understatement as to be almost gallows humour.

Pahreyia · Post by **Pahreyia** » January 28, 2003, 1:35 pm

I was about 4 years old at the time, and although it's vague, I can still remember walking into the living room and watching my mom crying as the newscasters kept repeating the feeds over and over. It's one of my earliest memories, but I can remember getting the whole story from her, and then when she changed the channel they were talking about car safety and I watched a crash test dummy go flying out of a windshield and end up looking like beetle baily after sarge gets through with him... Kinda left one of those long lasting morbid impressions.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » January 28, 2003, 1:35 pm

I was in my 6th grade science class. We always watched replays of shuttle launches, but that day the teacher announced that we weren't. A few minutes later the principal was on the intercom talking about the explosion. A lot of the teachers were very excited about the teacher in space thing, and, needless to say, were very upset about this.

Shaerra · Post by **Shaerra** » January 28, 2003, 1:43 pm

7th Grade Choir. We watched every space shuttle launch since I started school...this was the last one we ever watched in school.

I'll never forget hearing the pilot say, "Roger, go throtle up" followed by the explosion and the Nasa guy saying "Obviously a major malfunction". I think hearing such a calm voice after seeing the space shuttle blow up made me mad...but it's not like the guy screaming and sobbing would have helped those poor folks.

Mezzmor · Post by **Mezzmor** » January 28, 2003, 1:54 pm

I was being sworn into military service in the federal building in downtown Cincinnati when it happened.

I was so badly hung over from partying the night before that I puked again at the sight on the TV of the Challenger exploding. Right in the middle of everyone.

I live in Florida now. I don't know if its those visions stuck in my head of the accident or not - but I go to every night launch of the shuttle - and it brings tears to my eyes every time I see it go up.

For those of you who have never seen a shuttle launch from the riverside across from the space center - it should be something every American should see in person. The night launches especially - are just an incredible sight to behold.

Baracus · Post by **Baracus** » January 28, 2003, 1:58 pm

7th grade sitting in the computer lab at lunchtime working on a TRS-80. A friend of mine came back from lunch at home and told us. We went down to the AV room and watched it.

Wulfran · Post by **Wulfran** » January 28, 2003, 2:09 pm

I just finished my day's worth of final exams for my first semester of grade 12. I heard on the car radio that the Challenger blew up and I almost cried. The first launch was when I was in the 8th grade and to my mind it always seemed so clean and exciting, it seemed to me (and my naivete) that with all the dirty politics of the earth, there was a beacon of hope. People were still trying to explore what was beyond...

I don't think I ever was more offended by jokes than the first couple times people were saying " what were Christa MacAuliffe's last words" or " what does NASA stand for"...

Hard to believe it was 17 year already...

Kluden · Post by **Kluden** » January 28, 2003, 2:26 pm

I was 8 years old, in second grade...and my grade school decided to show it to the whole class of 2nd, 3rd, and 4th graders.

As the launch happened, and the malfunction occured, I now have a permanent scar in my brain's memory of all the terrified faces of fellow 8, 9, and 10 year old classmates.

Toshira · Post by **Toshira** » January 28, 2003, 2:26 pm

I was walking through the halls in school at age 13 when someone told me what happened. I think I said something like "Sweet, one less teacher in the world" or some horrible, fucked up adolescent, wanna-be rebel comment like that.

Then I saw it on T.V. with my own eyes in the school library, and I was shocked by the violence and suddenness of the event, but still wasn't that moved by it. Those 7 astronauts died, literally, reaching for the stars, chasing a dream. Somehow that seemed to make it more bearable.

masteen · Post by **masteen** » January 28, 2003, 2:29 pm

Mezz: When I was at UF, my friends and I would head out to a shroom field with a clear view east, pick and enjoy the show. Great stuff!

Fairweather Pure · Post by **Fairweather Pure** » January 28, 2003, 2:47 pm

I was in 5th grade and one of the older kids told us about it. I really didn't care too much considering how serious it was, unitl we got in from playing outside after lunch and my teacher was a basketcase. She had a little hand held radio turned up and we all strained to listen to it. My teacher was sobbing uncontrollably for the next hour when they let school out early. I walked to my grandma's house and watched the footage on TV with her.

Several days later, a particular asshole in my class said something to her like "Too bad you didn't win that contest, this world would be a better place now". Yeah, he was evil. Anyway, the teacher once again broke down right in front of the class. It was like someone threw a switch and she just freaked. Later, we found out that our teacher had not only tried out for the "school teacher in space program", but she actually made it to the top 20 or something like that. Kids can be cruel. Btw, that kid got suspended for the comment. First time I ever even heard of a suspension. It was a big deal.

Voronwë · Post by **Voronwë** » January 28, 2003, 3:03 pm

Mezzmor wrote:
For those of you who have never seen a shuttle launch from the riverside across from the space center - it should be something every American should see in person. The night launches especially - are just an incredible sight to behold.

Lived at the beach near St. Augustine a couple years ago, and night launches were awesome to watch. really pretty amazing sight.

Chidoro · Post by **Chidoro** » January 28, 2003, 3:05 pm

I was a freshman in hs. However, I went to a prep school. Since the place was so fragmented, I never watched it. I was probably playing hockey during a free period or something.

I remember watching it over and over again on the news but it was too late to truly make an impression on me.

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » January 28, 2003, 3:40 pm

I was 11 1/2 when challenger blew up. 5th Grade. Mr. K's advanced class, whoopdie do. Even back then I knew more people died that day then in the shuttle....and for less risky things....

Like people starving to death. Hit by gang cross fire. Hit by drunk drivers, or just regular auto accidents. Beaten to death by thier parents. Cancer (didn't know much about aids 17 yrs ago), treatable illnesses that received no medical attention...raped/killed by some idiot....LOTS of deaths and foul shit happens every day on this planet.

But a handful of people who strapped themselves into a chair on top of TONS of rocket fuel and lit a match.....17 years ago....It doesn't even rank.

Most of those people would be dead of natural causes by now.

I can understand maybe mourning the 911 incident for years to come, because people knowing the result of teorrist acts is something that has some meaning......if people remember the pain it causes less people will think it is acceptable behavior. Plus those people didn't knowingly endanger thier lives, and it just happened recently. Still personally I don't need to mark the date on a calendar....it was a sad day, I'd like to move on with my life.

But I'm confused how the challenger incident figures in to that. It's just the media pumping up the incident to be more tragic then it actually was.

I might sound uncaring, that's not true, I do think it was a sad event.....BUT I like to focus on current problems, preventable problems, or problems of a greater magnitude.

Dwelling on shit like that in the past accomplishes nothing but making yourself sad.

Maybe I should mark the days my friends and family died on my calendar so I will be reminded to be sad every day of my fucking life.

Sorry about this post, it's just something I had to get off my chest.

How many people here spend cash on cigarettes daily when you could be donating it towards finding a cure for cancer?

How many people died of cancer via 2nd hand smoke over the last 17 years?

So in fact your paying money to kill yourself and others around you, your friends, your kids, because your too wrapped up in this stupid shuttle incident to see where the real problems are and make a difference.

But I'm going to be made out to be the inconsiderate one...

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » January 28, 2003, 3:48 pm

Fairweather, I was just thinking...

I think your teacher and my teacher probably knew each other back then...

Both 5th grade teachers....Mine was Troy, MI yours was probably in Michigan seeing as your ID says battle creek...

He was in the top 20 to go up also that year....I think I remember him saying a female friend of his was also trying.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 28, 2003, 3:48 pm

Eat shit and die Pils. You're a complete fucking idiot.

Knibble · Post by **Knibble** » January 28, 2003, 4:01 pm

Yes I remember that day as well.
I was sitting in Science class in 7th grade with the bad breath lady,Mrs. Prokop was famous for that.The tv was turned on and stayed on the entire day.

Masekle · Post by **Masekle** » January 28, 2003, 4:11 pm

An event I would rather remember and still do... I was 10 years old standing at a TV in J.C. Penny's, when I saw a man step out of a craft and place his foot on another planet. Suddenly all those Asimov, Norton,etc., Sci.-Fi books I had been reading came a little more to life.

Pilsburry · Post by **Pilsburry** » January 28, 2003, 4:13 pm

Winnow, compared to you I'm an amature.

Post by **Xouqoa** » January 28, 2003, 4:38 pm

PILS 4 PREZ! (of the aholes)

It might not have been the most catastrophic event in the history of the world, but it was an important one for the US space program (as well as teh country in general), and it was a tragic loss for the families of those involved. Just because it was only seven people instead of seven hundred doesn't make it any less important. Human life is invaluable and any loss of life is tragic, no matter what the circumstances were.

Neost · Post by **Neost** » January 28, 2003, 4:51 pm

I was stationed in Germany and we were on shuttle recovery duty in case the shuttle went down in Africa/Middle East. We were on alert for take-offs and landings.

I had just walked in the house after the duty day was over to see it happen.

Winnow · Post by **Winnow** » January 28, 2003, 5:05 pm

Xouqoa wrote:PILS 4 PREZ! (of the aholes)

It might not have been the most catastrophic event in the history of the world, but it was an important one for the US space program (as well as teh country in general), and it was a tragic loss for the families of those involved. Just because it was only seven people instead of seven hundred doesn't make it any less important. Human life is invaluable and any loss of life is tragic, no matter what the circumstances were.

Pils has demonstrated that he doesn't have a fucking clue in that shitpile of text above more than I could ever point out myself in a response.

Dalmoth · Post by **Dalmoth** » January 28, 2003, 5:15 pm

I was sitting in an Engineering lab that morning. We were watching when they blasted off, don't think anyone left for about 3 hours.

And the reason people remember this, JFKs assasination, the 911 tragedy, even the OK city bombing. Is because for OMGIAMRETARDEDCAUSEALOTISTWOWORDS of people it happend live and was etched on the country's consciouness. Much the same for other events for some, but people have a tendacy to remember the negative for far longer.

Corona · Post by **Corona** » January 28, 2003, 6:46 pm

I was in 5th grade, in my GTE class (Gifted and Talented Education). We were pretty excited about the Challenger launch, and had been doing almost nothing but studying NASA stuff, building models, learning about space, etc. for a good 2 or 3 months. I remember being excited because I was going to turn 11 in 3 days, pretty big deal at the time since it meant I'd passed the decade old mark.

I'll never forget the stunned, utter silence that permeated every surface of the room. It was as if I'd gone deaf, it was that quiet. And for the rest of the day in class, we discussed what had happened, how it had happened. I don't remember crying until I got home, and like Kylere, I knew that the Space Program suffered an incredible, irrevocable blow.

cid · Post by **cid** » January 28, 2003, 7:00 pm

I was 17 and a senior in high school. Back then all launches were televised. It was as a very sad day. The media kept playing it over and over again. Couldn’t image the agony the families had to endure so the media could up their ratings.

Drustwyn · Post by **Drustwyn** » January 28, 2003, 7:05 pm

I remember being gathered into our elementary school library (I think I was in 1st or 2nd grade) and watching the whole thing on TV. I remember the explosion and all the kids having absolutely NO idea what was happening.

I remember the teachers rushing to the TV and turning it off, but it was too late - I still remember those smoke trails vividly.

Taly · Post by **Taly** » January 28, 2003, 8:22 pm

Omg i remember this.. Our teacher turned on the TV so we could watch the tragedy. That was a very sad day i still remember it so vividly =(

Ahmik · Post by **Ahmik** » January 29, 2003, 3:08 am

I vaguely recall that day...

My alarm clock woke me up late in the afternoon following a 12 hour shift at the bar the day/night before... I turned on the TV, saw the news, walked over to my bookcase, grabbed my 8" plastic model of the space shuttle (complete with retractable landing gear and opening cargo doors) and walked over and dropped it in the fish tank. I went back to bed because I remembered that I didn't have to work that night.

some jokes heard at the bar the next night:

What does NASA stand for? Need Another Seven Astronauts

I hear that Christa McAuliffe had dandruf... How do you know that? Her Head and Shoulders washed up on the beach.

Christa McAuliffe had blue eyes... One blew this way and one blew that way...

kinda sad that some people are so quick to make light of tragedy...

luxum · Post by **luxum** » January 29, 2003, 8:24 pm

I lived about 20 miles south of the Space Center, i was in 5th grade, and we got dragged outside in the cold without our jackets to watch it. (Well, cold for Florida.) It got about halfway up into the sky from where it would normally go out of sight, and blossomed into a huge salmon pink ball of smoke with fiery debris flying up and then raining down... i'll never forget it. Until i saw the World Trade Center collapse on live television, it was the single most horrible event i ever witnessed, and the aftermath was equally horrific. There were pieces of the shuttle washing up on the beach for weeks. My utmost respect to the astronauts of that launch, their families and friends, and to the astronauts who continued the program after that tragedy.

VeeshanVault

Challenger

Challenger

Going to ignore Pils, and continue...