Forty years ago, at 11:39:13 ET the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart. The launch was being watched by 35-40 million people. The disaster led to the Shuttle Program being grounded for almost three years. Nichelle Nichols helped to recruit Judith Resnick and Ronald McNair to NASA, she felt extreme guilt for years after the Challenger Disaster.
Following the disaster, examination of the recovered vehicle cockpit revealed that the Personal Egress Air Packs were activated for pilot Mike Smith and two other crew members. The location of Smith's activation switch on the back of his seat means either Resnik or Ellison Onizuka likely activated it for him. Mike Mullane wrote. "Mike Smith's PEAP had been turned on by Judy or El, I wondered if I would have had the presence of mind to do the same thing had I been in Challenger's cockpit. Or would I have been locked in a catatonic paralysis of fear? There had been nothing in our training concerning the activation of a PEAP in the event of an in-flight emergency. The fact that Judy or El had done so for Mike Smith made them heroic in my mind. They had been able to block out the terrifying sights and sounds and motions of Challenger's destruction and had reached for that switch. It was the type of thing a true astronaut would do maintain their cool in the direst of circumstances."
It was a Wednesday then, too, IIRC. I had an 8am lab followed by an 11am lecture. The other students coming in for just the lecture were saying that the shuttle blew up and we didn't believe them at first. Went home for lunch and skipped my afternoon classes to watch the coverage. During the slo-mo replays, my roommate at the time pointed out where the flame was shooting out because of the failed O-ring.
Can't remember what grade I was in, but I sure do remember this day. Our teacher was a big NASA/space guy and I remember him being absolutely gutted
I was in middle school at the time. And I remember watching the footage in school and then at home. I remember pointing out where the flames could be seen and saying that they could have burned through the fuel tank. The teacher said that I didn't know what I was talking about and that NASA would find it what happened, at home I said the same thing, my father told me to shut up and that I didn't know shit. My High School's Physics teacher was a finalist for the Teacher in Space program. She became a close friend of Christa McAuliffe during the selection process.
I was in high school, and the thing I remember was that I was coming back from lunch, my class was science, and somehow, we all just sorta knew that Challenger had blown up, even though we couldn't point to anyone who actually said that. And if you didn't know, the original plan for this Jean Michel Jarre album was that Ron McNair would play the sax part while in space.
I was in high school, my morning computer science class was about to start. The principal came on the PA system and announced it. Everyone was stunned, but class went on as usual. Went to my best friend's car immediately after class and listened to KGO radio, Ronn Owens taking calls. I remember one caller suggesting it was a Russian laser. I went home and watched the news and recorded the explosion on a VHS tape, probably watched it a dozen times. Sad day.
I was 5, and it's the earliest news event I can remember. I don't think I actually knew what happened, but I remember the image of the twin smoke trails on the TV.
