On this day in 1986, we lost the space shuttle Challenger and her crew.
Crew members of mission STS-51L stand in the White Room at Pad 39B. From the left: McAuliffe, Jarvis, Resnik, Scobee, McNair, Smith and Onizuka.
Picture Source: NASA Kennedy Space Center.
The explosion occurred 73 seconds into the flight as a result of a leak in one of two Solid Rocket Boosters that ignited the main liquid fuel tank.
"I know it is hard to understand, but sometimes painful things like this happen," he said. "It's all part of the process of exploration and discovery. It's all part of taking a chance and expanding man's horizons. The future doesn't belong to the fainthearted; it belongs to the brave. The Challenger crew was pulling us into the future, and we'll continue to follow them." President Ronald Reagan
Click here to learn more about the individuals on Challenger:
It was one of those events, you'll never forget. I was home, sick, and had the tv on, so I watched it unfold live. On a happy note, a few years prior, I saw Sally Ride in person. Thanks for this reminder.
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