Challenger: 25th Anniversary

When the Challenger exploded on January 28, 1986, I was 16 1/2 months old.  I obviously don't remember it occurring.  However, with the invention of YouTube, I have seen what happened.

I have mentioned before that I wanted to be an astronaut.  This had little to do with the Challenger and more to do with the fact that a) I grew up in Florida and saw many shuttle launches both from my backyard and from Kennedy Space Center and b) I thought that being weightless would be awesome. 

However, as we all know, there was a teacher aboard the Challenger shuttle named Christa McAuliffe.  She was the first civilian to head to space.  She was going to teach a lesson when she got up with the stars.  As a teacher myself, I think that, although tragic, it is also awesome that she died trying to teach students in a way never done before or since.  She was setting a precedent so that maybe someday, someone like me could have the opportunity to go to space and teach at the same time.

I married an aerospace (and mechanical) engineer.  Space shuttles, rockets, etc are his specialty.  He works for NASA.  He was 8 months old when the tragedy occurred, so he also doesn't remember the Challenger.  Through his studies and hands-on work, he has been able to explain to me what actually happened that caused the Challenger to ignite and explode.  I find it all very interesting and, to be honest, at times over my head. 

I also find it very sad that this incident could have been prevented.  I hope that the NASA engineers and employees of today use more caution and test things a bit further to help these issues to not happen again.  17 years didn't help, since Columbia destructed as it re-entered the atmosphere.  Although shuttles will no longer be used, eventually, there will be passenger rockets that will take astronauts to space to research and explore.  We do not need anymore tragedies to occur, killing people just doing their jobs and a civilian like Mrs. McAuliffe who was paving the way for the next generation and who had so much left to teach.

Please take a moment today to remember the crew of the Challenger.