January 28th 1986, the world held its breath after the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated less than two minutes into its flight from Kennedy Space Centre in Florida. All seven members of the crew (pictured above) lost their lives . They were (from back row L to R) Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee and Ron McNair.
The disaster was caused as the shuttles huge external fuel tank ripped apart and the hydrogen mixed with the oxygen and caused a huge fireball. Millions watched on TV as the shuttle exploded and a whole nation stood still. It took three months to locate the remains of the cabin compartment on the ocean floor. Once this was recovered , the families began to hold funerals their loved ones.
The disaster caused NASA to make significant changes to its policies and procedures and suspend space flight until 1988. The knock on effect was that no serious incidents were recorded by NASA from 1988 to 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up as it tried to re-enter the Earth’s orbit.
The Daily Waffle would like to take this opportunity to remember those who lost their lives in pursuit of what many of us can only dream of. Our thoughts and wishes are with their loved ones.
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