Challenger Anniversary

[mabfan]

Today is the anniversary of the Challenger tragedy, the day when the space shuttle exploded and NASA lost seven astronauts: Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. Their sacrifice is memorialized at Arlington National CemeteryFor the people of my

Comments

[vettecat]

It was a tragedy, definitely, but I don't think it equates to the Kennedy assassination.

[mabfan]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashbulb_memory

[jimvanpelt]

I was teaching high school at the time and had seen footage of the explosion in the teachers' lounge. Devastated, I went back to my room for my next class, and one of the kids came in, chanting "The shuttle exploded, the shuttle exploded," like he could care less, like he thought it was funny. It's the closest I've ever come in my teaching career to hitting a student.

[bugsybanana]

I was a senior at the time, of course. I was out sick that day, I think that entire week. I didn't see the disaster live, but whatever I was watching on TV was interrupted very shortly after. I didn't cry, but it hurt.

Ronald McNair Park is a block or two from my apartment.

[bugsybanana]

BTW, I had Mrs. Salzman for AP Chem that year, but I'd forgotten she'd applied for the teacher-in-space program.