Remembering Challenger

The NASA family lost seven of its own on the morning of January 28, 1986, when a booster failed, causing the Shuttle Challenger to break apart just 73 seconds after launch. The crew of STS-51-L: Front row from left, Mike Smith, Dick Scobee, Ron McNair. Back row from left, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Greg Jarvis, Judith Resnik.

The Challenger 7

CNN was the only news network at the time broadcasting the launch of STS-51L. If you click the link you can watch the launch as it happened. Launch coverage begins about 1:15 into the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zk_wi4QD5WE

  Later that evening President Reagan addressed the nation regarding the loss of the Shuttle Challenger.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qa7icmqgsow


"We'vegrown used to the idea of space, and, perhaps we forget that we've only just begun. We'restill pioneers. They, the members of the Challenger crew, were pioneers..."
"...We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them,this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and "slipped thesurly bonds of earth" to "touch the face of God."
                         -Ronald Reagan