Remembering the Challenger

This is a day that not too many people remember, but 21 years ago today, the space program came to a screeching halt when the space shuttle Challenger exploded. The event was made famous not only because it was a disaster of epic proportions, but because of the civilian schoolteacher who rode along on the shuttle vis-à-vis the Teacher In Space Program.

I was in the second grade at the time, and when the disaster occurred, it was during lunchtime recess. It was indoors that day, probably because of the cold, and in the bathroom I bumped into a first grader who lived practically next-door to me, and he asked me if I'd heard about the shuttle explosion. Gradually word of the event spread throughout the day, and when my father arrived home from school that night, I remember him being very stunned by the news, and I can still see the news recap from MacNeil-Lehrer that night.

The teacher who was on recess duty that day, my old homeroom teacher from first grade, had actually signed up for the Teacher In Space Program. I don't know how far she made it into the program, in terms of being a finalist, but I can only imagine the chills that went up her spine when she learned of the Challenger's explosion. Talk about dodging a major bullet!

After the Challenger disaster, I think it was another two years before another shuttle launch took place, because I was in middle school at the time, and they had TVs set up in the cafeteria for all of us to watch the launch. I was in the lunch line when liftoff occurred, facing away from the TVs, and when the entire cafeteria erupted in applause, the entire lunch line broke away to go watch. I remember watching the liftoff very intently, the images of the Challenger explosion still in the back of my mind. I don't think I let my guard down until after the rocket boosters broke away and fell back to the Earth, as per standard procedure.

It's still heartbreaking to think about the loss that occurred that day, and sadly I think it's an event that's largely been forgotten over the years. But on a more upbeat note, the National Archives had an interesting exhibit about the Challenger the last time I was there. It wasn't a very large one, if I recall—more of an interactive video display than an actual exhibit—but still worth a visit.

Godspeed to those who were lost 21 years ago today.