The space shuttle Challenger launched on an unusually cold day in January. 73 seconds later, the fire in the sky seared across the souls of American children who were watching and dreaming along with the adults who had worked so hard to make this launch happen.
Read these names out loud. Slowly. And think of the dreams that these people supported in their works, and still support even twenty years after their deaths.
Commander Francis R. Scobee.
Pilot Michael J. Smith.
Mission Specialist Judith A. Resnik.
Mission Specialist Ellison S. Onizuka.
Mission Specialist Ronald E. McNair.
Payload Specialist Gregory B. Jarvis
Payload Specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe.
...
"I remember the day that the Challenger died.
I remember the blast; I remembered I cried.
I remember the day when that proud ship fell,
and the seven who rode on that pillar of hell."
.....
The shuttle Columbia performed its mission and exploded into a comet on re-entry in 2003. Columbia web site
Commander Rick D. Husband.
Pilot William C. McCool.
Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson.
Mission Specialist David M. Brown.
Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla.
Mission Specialist Laurel Blair Salton Clark.
Payload Specialist 1 Ilan Ramon.
