» Saturday Open Thread: Challenger Edition

Patricius - January 28th, 2012 at 12:27 am

I remember when that happened and speculating that the crew may have survived the explosion. Everyone told me, "no way". As I recall, they did survive the explosion, and died from either hypoxia, impact with the ocean below, or drowning. NASA was not very public with that.

BigDadio - January 28th, 2012 at 2:34 am

That was very tragic.
It took me a few minutes to comprehend what I was watching. It was a bizarre scene.
I had considered they may have possibly died in fear or with a heart attack.

serf - January 28th, 2012 at 2:58 am

Tragic loss, but the American spirit lives on honoring those who perished.

Government can not save you from the pain of life but it can take the joy from life.

Jamesb - January 28th, 2012 at 3:03 am

Like many {or all} of you, this was a touchstone, an unforgettable moment in my life. I'll never forget a handful of tragedies – this is one of them. God Bless that brave crew. RIP.

Billyb9 - January 28th, 2012 at 3:03 am

I remember where I was… At work- My ex called me- hysterical, telling me how she watched the launch- and the explosion in real time. As I was trying to calm her I realized how many thousands intricate parts are on the shuttle, working together- when at that time technology wasn't where it is today. The fact that there weren't more failures is a testament to the engineering and manufacturing prowess we had at the time- and is now disappearing from the US.

A falure in many of those thousands of parts could have caused disastrous results- and sadly that day this proved to be the case.

Still, I had thoughts about the potential of it being sabotage…

kentatwater - January 28th, 2012 at 3:54 am

I was in high school when it happened. They wheeled TV carts into classrooms, and students gathered where they pleased, pretty much. The teachers were as stunned as the students.

The bus ride home was early, slow, and silent.

chopper - January 28th, 2012 at 3:57 am

Obviously a major malfunction……………..

Rayvet - January 28th, 2012 at 4:20 am

This was my Kennedy moment (you know, where were you when?). I was walking across campus at UGA and saw a crowd gathering around a large TV in the student center. I just stood there and watched the footage dumbstruck. While I had to go to class that day, my mind was never on studying. I was saddened by the loss of life, but think I was even more upset by the representation of the failure that had happened. The space program was once a beacon of pride for this country and over the decades we've seen that slip away. While I know they still do a lot of really far out neat stuff at NASA, it just doesn't inspire the same awe and imagination as it once did.

onecornpone - January 28th, 2012 at 5:01 am

If I recall correctly the engineers knew those o-rings were iffy in very cold temps, but were pressured to keep on schedule after several previous delays. Someone made the decision to take a gamble, and lost big-time. I was never really sure who was responsible for making that decision.

Looking back on all NASA has accomplished , isn't it bizarre that the current POTUS redefined their mission to that of Muslim "outreach". WTH is with THAT? Will there be any pieces left for us to sweep up when we're rid of this usurper? How many valuable "secrets: will have been sold off to the Chinese, or the highest bidder, and which Chicago thug's offshore account have the proceeds, in the billions, been deposited in?

Something about that Challenger incident took the wind out of NASA's sails…
.

faa7850 - January 28th, 2012 at 5:08 am

I have family that worked for Union Carbine at the time and told the story of how the EPA banded the use of the adhesive used to glue the heat shields. They claimed that the replacement product did not perform.

They also felt that this change was responsible for the heat shields breaking away at liftoff.

Is there any way to verify or debunk that claim?

Flig Narson - January 28th, 2012 at 5:10 am

I'll never forget that day… I was there. Or just up the road from there. As a radio newsman, I had covered the first launch of the Space Shuttle, Sally Ride's launch, and a few others, and was at the Kennedy Space Center for one of the Shuttle landings. The day Challenger exploded, I was at a radio station in Melbourne, Florida, watching the launch, as I had several times before, from the window of our 3rd floor studio. We were listening to what was called the "V-2 Circuit," which was raw audio from launch control, which switched to Mission Control as soon as the shuttle cleared the tower. I remember seeing the SRBs separate, and, although we couldn't tell exactly what had happened, I turned to the person next to me and said "Something just went very wrong… I hope it wasn't what I think it was." But it was. Then, calmly and dispassionately we heard "Obviously a major malfunction…" and then, finally, "the vehicle has exploded." To this day, when I hear a recording of that, the same chill and horror comes back to me. An hour later, as we were the closest ABC Radio affiliate to the Cape… and ABC had nobody on the scene, I did a quick eye-witness account of what we'd seen in Melbourne, on the ABC Talk Radio network… it was the Owen Spann show at the time. Oddly enough, I didn't see a video replay of the explosion for many many hours afterward… too busy on the air and going on-air with other stations around the country. The cloud left by the explosion hung in that blue sky for what seemed like hours…

doctorscottmd - January 28th, 2012 at 5:17 am

Sounds familiar….damn shame, that mission…

harley2002 - January 28th, 2012 at 5:21 am

Just like Kennedy know exactly where I was when I heard. At a school in Grover City Ca. repairing a copy machine… Sad. What is real sad is the Traitor in the Whitecrib shutting down our manned space program to give more loot to his freeloader followers.

Sisquinanamook - January 28th, 2012 at 5:24 am

I remember the awkward silence and the teachers looking at each other and making gestures with their eyes, trying to decide what to do without saying anything. Eventually, they just turned off the TV and rolled the cart away. I guess they figured we were too young to realize what had happened anyway.

Flig Narson - January 28th, 2012 at 5:42 am

First off, heat shields had nothing to do with the Challenger disaster. It was a failure of the o-rings at the joints of the Solid Rocket Boosters to seat properly, partially due to the low temperature. The flaming propellent from the SRB leaked, and breached the hydrogen tank, which then exploded. You may be thinking of the Columbia. In that case, it was a debris strike on launch (some insulation, if I remember correctly) which dislodged during launch, and struck the tiles on the leading edge of the wing which caused the breach… and that led to the Columbia's disintegration on re-entry.

Cowboy Logic - January 28th, 2012 at 7:00 am

Do you remember what we could take comfort in, in times like that? http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa7icmqgsow

…and slipped the surly bonds of earth, to touch the face of God.

Nobody alive, will ever forget that line.

Life sure was simple.

Stan522 - January 28th, 2012 at 7:02 am

I remember it like it was yesterday……………. very sad day. I can tell you all where I was standing and where I was about to go when it happened.

Stan522 - January 28th, 2012 at 7:07 am

Chairman "o" could NEVER pull off a speech like that. Reagan came from the heart….. obama simply reads another persons words……

Stan522 - January 28th, 2012 at 7:09 am

Why would someone down-thumb you for a statement of fact—-?

JimMcVeigh - January 28th, 2012 at 7:56 am

"I was never really sure who was responsible for making that decision. "

Larry Molloy, JSC; "my God, Thiokol, when do you want me to launch; next April?"
Arnold Aldrich, Marshall Flight Center; "for better or worse, I did not perceive there to be a clear need to move this to a level 2 flight decision."
Bob Lund, Morton Thiokol; "we were trying to prove to NASA that it was unsafe to launch, and we were unable to prove that."

mickigal - January 28th, 2012 at 7:59 am

I lived in south Florida at that time and when I heard about it on the news, I ran outside and could actually see the after-explosion cloud in the sky off in the distance. It was gut-wrenching. It seemed to hang there for a very long time before it finally dissipated.

SBOwFibro - January 28th, 2012 at 8:04 am

I was seven years old, in the family room with my mom and brothers. It was "just another shuttle launch" but it was kind if our thing to watch them if we could.

I remember the suddenness of the explosion… almost anti-climactic. And that was it.

We were surprised, but mom was really surprised. It took a few minutes for it to hit. That night dad explained Apollo 1 and the dangerous nature of exploration.

Cowboy Logic - January 28th, 2012 at 8:15 am

"I was never really sure who was responsible for making that decision."

Morton-Thiokol, as I recall.

But again, if memory continues to serve me correctly, they got off lightly.

onecornpone - January 28th, 2012 at 8:24 am

Thanks JMV… I knew that info was eventually available to the American public, but like most, I lost focus before it came out. I realized that no matter who gave the "go-ahead" it was without malice and done by one who had the credentials to back up their decision. Even the best and brightest are sometimes wrong.
.

onecornpone - January 28th, 2012 at 8:30 am

I agree with you on Reagans proficiency in delivering those beautiful words, but were you aware that Peggy Noonan, a speech writer for Reagan at the time, wrote that address to the nation?

Now she is bat-S#!t crazy, and swoons over o-HOLE… cue the twilight zone soundtrack…
.

Cowboy Logic - January 28th, 2012 at 8:38 am

Yes.
I was absolutely aware that Peggy Noonan wrote that speech.

Frankly, I used to have a solid opinion of her.
That has waned through the years.

Especially, since with each passing season I become more conservative, and she becomes more liberal.

attila_the_pun - January 28th, 2012 at 8:42 am

Were the bodies ever recovered?

JimMcVeigh - January 28th, 2012 at 9:03 am

Challenger Trivia:
This WAS Bush's fault, specifically Vice President Bush. He was supposed to watch the scheduled Sunday launch but there were concerns with the weather so NASA made the unprecedented decision to not load the external tank on the expectation of unfavorable weather (usually they filled the tank no matter what) because they didn't want the Vice President to stand in the (expected) rain.
As it turned out, Sunday was a picture perfect day, mid 70s at the scheduled launch time.

Pilot Mike Smith was particularly annoyed at the launch decision personnel, telling a friend that "they have people who have never flown making launch decisions."

JimMcVeigh - January 28th, 2012 at 9:04 am

"…and slipped the surly bonds of earth, to touch the face of God. "

Or as Homer Simpson put it, 'to punch the face of God."

Cowboy Logic - January 28th, 2012 at 9:11 am

I love humor, wit, satire, parody, comedy and sarcasm.
I push the envelope farther, and harder than most.

But I always know when it is appropriate, and when it is inappropriate.

There are some instances, when the Simpson's humor is simply inappropriate.

This is one such instance.

But that's just my opinion and tactful sensibilities.

JimMcVeigh - January 28th, 2012 at 9:25 am

I took a chance, well aware of being on thin ice.

You will find NO ONE more respectful and reverent towards the crew and events of 51L than I. I must have spent an hour at the KSC black marble mirror thing with the names of astronauts who died 'in the line of duty,' taking pictures and watching the other people who stopped by. It was nice to see so many people paying their respects to 51L et al.

I didn't mean any disrespect.

JimMcVeigh - January 28th, 2012 at 9:28 am

Yes; still strapped into their seats.
4 Personal Egress Air Packs had been activated, switches next to pilot Mike Smith had been flipped from one position to another and NASA engineers said that the switches needed to be moved by hand; they could not have moved by the vehicle breaking up or hitting the water.

GozerTC - January 28th, 2012 at 9:38 am

As someone who currently works for NASA (Now working in local space versus deep space) things like this are really chilling to this industry. Which is very risk adverse especially considering how humans were "back in the day" when it came to exploring new frontiers. Then again a big part of that is probably the fact that we're not going out to "claim" anything like the old days, but only to "explore." :\

sistyugler1 - January 28th, 2012 at 9:40 am

I also remember it clearly, the place, the time, the emotional response, then the pragmatic one.
I also remember when Grissom, White and Chaffee died in a test for the Apollo 1 mission.
I also remember the agonizing days of Apollo 13 and the triumph of NASA's finest hour.
And, the remains of Columbia streaking over my house.
I never once entertained the idea that we should not go on. Humans are explorers, it ensures our survival as a species. We take risks, we succeed, we die, but we move forward.
Well, the best of us do.

sistyugler1 - January 28th, 2012 at 9:59 am

Excellent point. Can you imagine the liberal whining if we planted the American flag on anything again? They expect us to play the game well but not keep score. What's the point?…………Oh, wait……..that's the attitude they want us to have.

AC666 - January 28th, 2012 at 10:13 am

It was 10th grade Science class when we got the news'. People were upset, the girls were crying, SOME HOW we got a 13 or 14 inch set to view what was going on for the rest of the afternoon

independantarky - January 28th, 2012 at 10:21 am

I worked for a shuttle supplier, then and for many years after, my experience is similar to yours, you gave me the same goose bumps and eventually tears from the remembrance…
"The cloud left by the explosion hung in that blue sky for what seemed like hours…"
Tragedies seem to sear a hole in your conscience.

StuPedasso - January 28th, 2012 at 10:22 am

And how better to serve the memory of those who have given their lives for the betterment of man and the research and knowledge that accompany it than to shut down the very programs that enriched so many lives.
0, the one and done biggest mistake in US history.

StuPedasso - January 28th, 2012 at 10:39 am

Space Coast has taken quite a hit from 0 reducing NASA to, what exactly, I am not certain now.
We, as a country, need to have a President willing to push the envelope of exploration and science. It is what drives innovation…and the spirit of this country.

BronxZionist - January 28th, 2012 at 11:36 am

Did Bush tell them to change the flight schedule and loading time?
If not, then how is it his fault?

JimMcVeigh - January 28th, 2012 at 11:48 am

I was playing off a common phrase.
The End.

ladykrystyna - January 28th, 2012 at 2:01 pm

I was in my freshman year of high school. We were in school at the time. The school office announced what had happened over the intercom. I was stunned. I was always a fan of the space program and had had a dream to be an astronaut.

I remember watching the news when I got home and for days after. I cried every time I watched it. God bless those people.

I also remember the Columbia disaster as well.

attila_the_pun - January 28th, 2012 at 2:48 pm

Interesting.

szysgt - January 28th, 2012 at 6:10 pm

One Thousand Points of Light

Penned by Peggy Noonan – the most useless drivel I have ever heard.

StuPedasso - January 28th, 2012 at 10:00 pm

I wonder why so many conservative people are up in arms about Newts plan for a moon station then….Sent from my iPhone

hollylamb - January 28th, 2012 at 10:11 pm

I remember it very well, I was almost 5 months pregnant managing a child's clothes shop and we had a play yard inside the store set up with a TV and I was watching it. Then I didn't understand what happened, I couldn't believe what I saw. Then in February 2003 another one, Columbia blew up too, the following month, in March I had a business trip to Houston and stopped at NASA, my first trip to NASA and it was very solemn, people spoke in hushed tones. Then I visited again in 2007 and they were all talking about going to MARS then in 2009 NASA was talking about getting a Muslim into space and now all of that has been cancelled because of a dumb@ss in the white house.

Jamesb - January 28th, 2012 at 10:16 pm

Ya, true – but not me, I'm all for a robust, ambitious space program.

Obama wants to divert that money to give aways for his "green" buddies and to buy votes from "urban voters" and other parasites.

I think skilled people doing R&D and other valuable work for NASA is money better spent – so I guess that makes me a "racist," huh?

neo_conjob - January 28th, 2012 at 11:40 pm

God bless'em alright. he love'em to death.

neo_conjob - January 28th, 2012 at 11:45 pm

"Ya, true – but not me, I'm all for a robust, ambitious space program. "

Fiscal conservatism at its best. who needs to spend on infrastructure here on earth when you can blow it in outer space.

Wanna get closer to your maker or did newt promised your district some of that fine lunar rocky land?

StuPedasso - January 29th, 2012 at 9:08 am

You and Me both!

Jamesb - January 29th, 2012 at 10:06 am

"infrastructure here on earth" – um, ya, and that's code or massive give aways of tax payer $$$$$$$$ to corrupt unions by corrupt Democrats to over pay thugs who in turn kick back a chunk to their National Socialist Democrat Workers Party/Democrat Criminal Party masters. No thanks.

I'll stick with spending less on research to the benefit of ALL PEOPLE, not just paying off a few thugs.

Jamesb - January 29th, 2012 at 10:12 am

God doesn't "pick" winners and losers – He doesn't think he's Obama and the Democrats in Congress – only they and other fascists "pick" winners and losers. Like with Solyndra and the other FAILED green scams. Barry's buddies "won" – the taxpayer "lost."

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Saturday Open Thread: Challenger Edition

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