Challenger 25 years later

[TilliamWe]

I was in the 8th grade and I remember it like it was yesterday. My grandfather was out in his yard working, about 90 miles away from Cape Canaveral. He said the smoke plumes stayed in the sky all day long. He was actually upset and he wasn't that type of guy.

 

[Bob_VT]

Re:Challenger 25 years later

I was driving towards a staff meeting at my Headquarter's when the announcement came over the radio. When I arrived at the HQ I found everyone huddled around our single TV set. It was a sad day

May the 7 hero's RIP.

 

[JB]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was standing in the parking lot of Total Technical Institute in Ft. Lauderdale. I had taken my class out there to watch the launch. The launches were easily seen from there in clear weather.

We saw her start and we saw her blow up. It took a few seconds to realize what had happened. We didn't get much calculus done that day.

Coincidentally, I stood on my back porch at The Hideout and watched Columbia burn up on reentry.

Two sad, sad days.

 

[skargo]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was 18 and was asleep on the couch the night before, I woke up to see it, and will never forget it.

 

[CN Spots]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was in the 10 grade standing in line in the cafeteria waiting for lunch. I even remember exactly where I was standing.

Strange how events like that burn those moments in time into our memory.

 

[itsaboattime]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

Was a senior in High School, watchin the launch in Ag class. My ag teacher Loved the shuttles.
He actually sat down and cried.

 

[Summer Fun]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was in a Ft.Lauderdale bar [ The Elbow Room ] having a beer & lunch.

I just moved down there that year.

 

[xxxflhrci]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was a senior in high school and still in bed because it was a snow day. I still remember my dad sticking his head in my room telling me about it.

 

[NoKlu]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I arrived at work in a video store with all the TV's tuned to the channel, and the guy I worked with was crying. They had a Canadian woman on that flight so every channel carried the launch live.

 

[JRJ]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

Got to see Challenger land at Edwards in August 1983. Felt sick when it exploded.

 

[BuzzStPoint]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was in grade school watching it on Television.
I remember it clearly.. We were all so excited because there was a teacher going up into space so they had televisions in all the classrooms for us to watch. Never will forget that.


Side note. I was driving to Wausau WI to buy a car when we were listening on the radio about Columbia re-entry.

 

[redfury]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

Yup, memory is burned into my head forever. Going to my social studies class when I heard the news just outside the door to the classroom...I had a hot teacher too.

 

[aspeck]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was at work, watching it there. We were huddled around the "Customer TV" in the waiting area. Not much work done for a while. Said a prayer for the families.

Just over at Kennedy Space Center on the 25th of this month. Only 3 more shuttle launches before they retire the program. Sad what is happening to the space program.

 

[tx1961whaler]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

Worked at KSC at the time. Was at the viewing area on the causeway, freezing cold. One of the most traumatic events of my life.
Columbia, I was visiting my parents and went outside in the driveway to watch it come in. I never heard the sonic booms and it was a minute late. I went in the house and turned on the TV........ My brother is still on the Shuttle program, closing it out. He gets to turn off the lights when it's done.

 

[emilsr]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

It's strange how many details I can remember....

Was at work and my mom called....I remember thinking there must be something wrong with my dad because she usually didn't call me at work. She told me the space shuttle blew up and I kept waiting for the punch line to a joke. Sadly that wasn't the case. It didn't really sink in until I saw it on TV that night.

 

[mscher]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I have nearly no connection to the disaster.

That day was the first day, of my U.S. Air Force basic training, at Lackland AFB Texas.

After an enchanting evening of TI's screaming, yelling at everyone, "rainbows" trying on field jackets, eating a 9 minute dinner, etc. about midnight, the TI walked into the training room and calmly stated - "oh, by the way, the space shuttle blew up today, and killed everybody on board", then walked out of the room.

I saw about 30 seconds of TV, during the next six weeks. I did not waste money buying a newspaper, as there was no time to read it.

 

[TilliamWe]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

mscher, maybe it was better that way for you?

 

[Boomyal]

Re: Challenger 25 years later

I was in the back of the parts department at the Toyota dealer where I worked. We had a whole stack of TV's that were being used as sales incentives. We unboxed one just to watch the space shuttle take off. It was a sad day for sure.