Space for Remembering
Remembering Challenger: Shuttle Disaster and Others Refocus NASA
By Tariq Malik
Friday marks the beginning of a somber time of year for NASA, commemorating the first of three spaceflight disasters that have claimed the lives of 17 astronauts over the last 40 years.
7 Myths About the Challenger Shuttle Disaster
By James Oberg
Myth #1: A nation watched as tragedy unfolded
Few people actually saw what happened live on television. The flight occurred during the early years of cable news, and although CNN was indeed carrying the launch when the shuttle was destroyed, all major broadcast stations had cut away - only to quickly return with taped relays. With Christa McAuliffe set to be the first teacher in space, NASA had arranged a satellite broadcast of the full mission into television sets in many schools, but the general public did not have access to this unless they were one of the then-few people with satellite dishes. What most people recall as a "live broadcast" was actually the taped replay broadcast soon after the event.
I remember very clearly watching a live broadcast of that shuttle launch. The TV at the front of the classroom had been rolled in so we could all watch the first teacher make her way into space. It was supposed to be an uplifting, joyous and educational event.
It was one of those three.
Over the hours and days that followed, we all got an education in how the loss of human life used to get trumped by economic concerns. We learned that, even when there is no new information, news coverage continues by rehashing what has already been said and showing the same tragic pictures over and over and over again.
Mr. Oberg may be right in saying that the world wasn't watching. But let us not underestimate the impact the disintegration (see Myth #2: The shuttle exploded) of the shuttle had on those that were watching. Let us not forget that most of those watching were school children. School children with grand dreams of space, of exploration.
And let us remember those that have given their lives living their dream.
By Tariq Malik
Friday marks the beginning of a somber time of year for NASA, commemorating the first of three spaceflight disasters that have claimed the lives of 17 astronauts over the last 40 years.
7 Myths About the Challenger Shuttle Disaster
By James Oberg
Myth #1: A nation watched as tragedy unfolded
Few people actually saw what happened live on television. The flight occurred during the early years of cable news, and although CNN was indeed carrying the launch when the shuttle was destroyed, all major broadcast stations had cut away - only to quickly return with taped relays. With Christa McAuliffe set to be the first teacher in space, NASA had arranged a satellite broadcast of the full mission into television sets in many schools, but the general public did not have access to this unless they were one of the then-few people with satellite dishes. What most people recall as a "live broadcast" was actually the taped replay broadcast soon after the event.
I remember very clearly watching a live broadcast of that shuttle launch. The TV at the front of the classroom had been rolled in so we could all watch the first teacher make her way into space. It was supposed to be an uplifting, joyous and educational event.
It was one of those three.
Over the hours and days that followed, we all got an education in how the loss of human life used to get trumped by economic concerns. We learned that, even when there is no new information, news coverage continues by rehashing what has already been said and showing the same tragic pictures over and over and over again.
Mr. Oberg may be right in saying that the world wasn't watching. But let us not underestimate the impact the disintegration (see Myth #2: The shuttle exploded) of the shuttle had on those that were watching. Let us not forget that most of those watching were school children. School children with grand dreams of space, of exploration.
And let us remember those that have given their lives living their dream.