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Space Shuttle Challenger - 30 Years Ago Today



Frutos

.
Helpful Moderator
NSC Patreon
May 3, 2006
35,493
Northumberland
With all the media attention around Tim Peake's mission on the ISS at present, today sees the 30th anniversary of a reminder of just how dangerous space travel can be and just how wrong it can go.

I wonder if anyone remembers seeing the news of the loss of Challenger (I was only 2 at the time, so not me) and can remember how big of a story, if at all, it was in this country?
 


Bold Seagull

strong and stable with me, or...
Mar 18, 2010
29,719
Hove
With all the media attention around Tim Peake's mission on the ISS at present, today sees the 30th anniversary of a reminder of just how dangerous space travel can be and just how wrong it can go.

I wonder if anyone remembers seeing the news of the loss of Challenger (I was only 2 at the time, so not me) and can remember how big of a story, if at all, it was in this country?

Quiet a vivid memory for me as an 11 year old getting in from school excited to watch it as the press coverage had been good, and we knew it was on live as we'd done school projects on it. Seeing it live etched in my memory I guess. Clearly picture my Dad coming in from work and me telling him how it had blown up and we were all dumbstruck. Remember it being a massive deal in the days after too, papers, tv coverage etc.
 


Leekbrookgull

Well-known member
Jul 14, 2005
16,237
Leek
Huge story in the U/K even though no direct connection unlike today,s ISS. I believe that the investigation found that there was something up with the fuel feed system,but i could well be wrong ? Challenger was not the first lose of life for the Americans the Apollo fire was gruesome. One does wonder did the Russians actually lose anyone in their attempt to beat the Americans to land on the Moon ?
 


D

Deleted User X18H

Guest
It was very near my birthday and still is of course. Excellent docu on National Geographic last Sunday. Archive footage of the lessons Christa Mcauliffe would have presented from space. Shows her rehearsing these etc . Quite moving.
 














Pevenseagull

Anti-greed coalition
Jul 20, 2003
19,514
Huge story in the U/K even though no direct connection unlike today,s ISS. I believe that the investigation found that there was something up with the fuel feed system,but i could well be wrong ? Challenger was not the first lose of life for the Americans the Apollo fire was gruesome. One does wonder did the Russians actually lose anyone in their attempt to beat the Americans to land on the Moon ?

They did.

Documentation from, Soviet scientists at the time had Vostok 1 down as only 70% chance of having a happy ending.
 
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dangull

Well-known member
Feb 24, 2013
5,105
I remember that joke, but wont say on here as i like to keep up to date with the Albion news here.
 








Easy 10

Brain dead MUG SHEEP
Jul 5, 2003
61,674
Location Location
I remember it clearly. Someone in the playground ran up and said "have you heard the shuttle has exploded !!".

I got VERY scared, because I thought they meant the Shuttle, as in the number 60 bus that ran from Mile Oak to Brighton. I was really worried because my mum always got that bus to work. True story.

:facepalm:
 


Huge story in the U/K even though no direct connection unlike today,s ISS. I believe that the investigation found that there was something up with the fuel feed system,but i could well be wrong ? Challenger was not the first lose of life for the Americans the Apollo fire was gruesome. One does wonder did the Russians actually lose anyone in their attempt to beat the Americans to land on the Moon ?

Slightly gruesome the following picture.

It's the remains of a cosmonaut, he knew the Soyuz was going to fail but had a have refused to fly his best friend, a one Yuri Gagarin would have gone up instead.

The-remains-of-Vladimir-Komarov-a-man-who-fell-from-space-nowgags-9fact-facts.jpg
 




BlockDpete

Well-known member
Oct 8, 2005
1,143
Remember it quite clearly, as it was my 2nd day at my first full time job.

I also remember the NASA commentator reaction of "We seem to have had a major malfunction".....
 


ROSM

Well-known member
Dec 26, 2005
6,180
Just far enough away from LDC
It was early days of rolling news coverage in the US. In the UK, children's programmes were interrupted to show the explosion.

I was 17 at the time (still in 6th form at school)

If you get the chance, watch the President Reagan address to the nation - he's not my kind of politician and was clearly scripted but it is a fantastic piece of statesmanship
 








GT49er

Well-known member
Feb 1, 2009
46,473
Gloucester
Yes, it was big news here - particularly because it was the first time (I think) that a civilian (Christa McAuliffe, the school teacher) was going be sent into space. Very dramatic - and horrifying - pictures on the TV. Not as shocking as 9/11, but almost as memorable.
 


Seagull58

In the Algarve
Jan 31, 2012
7,141
Vilamoura, Portugal
I remember it well. Saw the "twin horns" as it exploded hour after hour on the tv coverage. I know both the jokes; The what does NASA stand for and also the NASA cocktail.
 



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