On This Day: Challenger explodes

Challenger exploded as nation watched.

Wikipedia Photo

It was 1986 – my junior year at Octorara High School. It must have been a snow day because everyone was home. It was still too early for the noon news normally but there was a special broadcast because of the space shuttle Challenger. To be honest I was not really that into the space program but – tot eh rest of the world – it was a big deal because this would be the first time a US civilian would be aboard.

New Hampshire high school teacher Christa McAuliffe won a competition that afforded her the opportunity to be the first civilian in space. Everyone could appreciate that 28 January 1986 would be a historic day. No one could have realized how historic a day it would be.

The shuttle was supposed to have launched on the 23^rd but, due to weather delays and then technical delays, it did finally lift off until the 28^th. That morning, at 11:38 a.m., the nation watched as finally the Challenger lifted off. And then … just 73 seconds later … the nation watched in horrified disbelief as the shuttle exploded in a forked plume of smoke and fire.

In addition to McAuliffe, six others perished in the tragic accident. They were: Commander Francis Scobee; Pilot Michael Smith; Mission Specialists Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, and Judith Resniik; and Payload Specialist Gregory Jarvis. McAuliffe had been the second Payload Specialist.

Share Your Thoughts:

Do you remember the Challenger Disaster?

Do you recall where you were or what you were doing at the time?

On This Day is a prompt to further explore historical events.

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