The NASA family lost seven of its own on the morning of January 28, 1986, when a booster engine failed, causing the Shuttle Challenger to break apart just 73 seconds after launch.
The crew of STS-51-L: Front row from left, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee, Ron McNair. Back row from left, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik.
28 years ago today, the Challenger Space Shuttle blew up in the sky above Cape Kennedy after 73 seconds of flight.
The photo series linked below was shot by an unnamed NASA electrician that captured that short flight. Click here for the story of their discovery.
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I still remember this. I was either in kindergarten or first grade, living in Key West at the time. An aunt and uncle came down to Florida from Pennsylvania to watch it take flight. We were watching it on the TV in class. After the disaster we were let out early from school and my aunt and uncle came to KW to visit with us.
Many school kids, just like you, watched the launch because the crew included the first teacher sent into space: Christa McAuliffe. The launch captured the best part of the public’s dreams for the space program; the tragedy then captured the nation’s emotions. President Reagan’s State of the Union address scheduled for that evening was put off for a week; he addressed the tragedy directly instead.