24 years ago today...

[chiliD]

...the Challenger disaster.

RIP Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Judy Resnik. Ron McNair, Ellizon Onizuka, Greg Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe

[petep9000]

I was in 7th grade, I remember this well. It seemed unbelievable, because in those early 80's the shuttle flights were initially very newsworthy, and then we sort of got used to seeing the news coverage of flights. It became routine. Then this disaster happened, and we were taken by surprise, that's what I remember.

[sara1998]

Wow, 24 years, really? I remember it. Kinda. I was in 2nd grade.

[LukeA]

I was at home, watching it unfold live on a little, old B&W TV. Less than 45 seconds after Challenger exploded, the TV started smoking and started a small fire. Certainly a morning that resonated on this then-3 1/2 year old.

[GODDESS6]

this happened my senior year of highschool~ we were watching it live in class when it all happened~ i remember my music teacher, saying good god & drop to her knees praying~

i remember being so stunned, knowing that i was watching these poor peoples lives end right before my eyes~ i also remember feeling so sad for the teacher on board~ we had followed her closely, seeing as she beat out a local teacher an recieved the honor to ride along~

then a few years later i was watching a documentary on the explosion & they were saying that they think some of them survived until it made impact here on earth~ now that seriously freaked me out~ i can't imagine how they must have been feeling whilst falling~, very, very sad~

may they all RIP~

[goldustsongbird]

It's awful to watch. Worse still, a week before the launch, a Toronto news station had interviewed McAuliffe and her family. They talked about how different everything was with their mom being away in training, and how much they missed her, and she mentioned that she was looking forward to getting back to her regular routine when all of this was over.

[slipkid]

Thank you for putting things in perspective. I was a ninth grade kid in high school who heard a woman run down the hallway when she told that the Space Shuttle exploded.

[desertangel]

Wow... every year that passes it feels a little stranger - so long ago, yet the memory of that feeling is indelible. I had just moved far away from home when this happened... it left me feeling more vulnerable, scared and alone. Of course it was nothing compared to how I felt on 9/11. And the conspiracy theorist in me wondered about this shuttle "accident." I had spent the previous 5 years working in the aerospace industry and knew how stringent parts testing was. hmm..

Gone but definitely not forgotten, all those whose lives were sacraficed.

[starshine]

Wow 24 yrs already....I was a Junior in HS than.....we weren't watching it but I know alot of us were stunned to hear what happend. It was all very sad....and hard to believe....I still remember it as if it was yesterday......wow.....may they all RIP....

[Betsy]

I remember the re-plays of Christa McAuliffe's mother and father looking up into the sky...not knowing what the split smoke paths meant...and after waiting and waiting, sadly shaking their heads and holding one another.

I was 8 months pregnant with my first child. I laid down to take a nap in the morning and by noon, was astonished to see what was on TV.

Thanks ChiliD for reminding us and starting this thread.

[LorraineRN]

Wow 24 years. I get chills and teary eyed just thinking about it again. I was in 9th grade and we were watching it live on a tv they brought into the classroom. When it happened we were all stunned; complete silence, you can hear a pin drop.