I was a sophomore in high school when the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 25 years ago on January 28, 1986. In the morning, the news spread throughout my school like a rumor that most people didn’t believe. By lunch time, it was confirmed, and TVs were set up where we could watch the news during lunch period. I remember everyone talking about how this was the “where-were-you-when-JFK-was-shot” moment of our generation. And it was, up until 9/11.
Making the event even more sad was the fact that a civilian teacher, Christa McAuliffe, was on board. Watching her parents react to seeing the Challenger disintegrate was heart-wrenching. Joy and pride turns to horror and disbelief in just a few seconds. While McAuliffe got the lion’s share of media coverage, the following crew members also lost their lives: Francis “Dick” Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, and Gregory Jarvis. May they all rest in peace.
Where were you when you heard about the Challenger disaster?
I was home sick from school and watched it live.
I was out reading water meters on Cherry Lane In Sunnyland and saw the event on tv in a house .
I was in high school trying to find music on the radio during a break. I was getting frustrated because there was no music playing on any of the stations. All of the kids in that area finally stopped to listen to the horrible news.
I was exercising at home while watching the launch with my small children. I was horrified as we watched the shuttle explode. My kids were too young to really understand (pre-schoolers.) The worst part was a few months later when we were at the local 4th of July fireworks and the oldest boy pointed to the sky after the first explosion of the fireworks and said (VERY LOUDLY,) “Look, it’s space shuttle Challenger.” He identified with the explosion. We got a couple really dirty looks but… kids. what can ya do! I also remember President Reagan’s really moving and appropriate remarks afterwards.
Until January 28, 1986, the space shuttle program seemed invincible. On that day I remember my Dad and oldest brother were watching. I think I got in just in time to see a replay of the explosion. My first words (with wide eyes) were in disbelief: “it blew up?”
I was in the Daily Eastern News newsroom when the photographer bolted from the darkroom and ran to the AP wire machine (this was a dot matrix printer attached to a telephone line). It was jammed. We had to fix it and read the news as it came in.
It was a real red ball as we struggled to find local coverage of some sort because, well, that was what real newspapers were supposed to do.
That morning I turned on the car radio to hear the launch. They said how cold it was; talked about icylces on the pad. I mumbled something about “they aren’t going to launch today,” and turned it off. Later, when I heard it blew up, I first assumed that it blew up on the pad. When I got to a TV, I just stared in disbelief.
I was driving a cab in San Diego, my day job while attending San Diego State University. I had just finished a fare, and as I pulled away from the curb, the dispatcher said, “Might as well tell you now before your next passengers do. The Space Shuttle just blew up on launch.” I pulled over to the side and turned on the pocket radio I kept with me to listen to the news, and it was all over. The Shuttle was gone in a fiery explosion on launch…and I was stunned.
i remember this very well – i was on a navy ship that assisted in the recovery of Challenger debris. 🙁
I was working on the 2nd floor of a new condo on Sanibel Island, Fla waiting to see it in the air. It takes 90 seconds to be able to see the lift offs from there, but it dint make the 90 seconds.