Remembering the crew of the Challenger

"The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. 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 the surly bonds of earth” to “touch the face of God.”"

28 years ago today...

On January 28th, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was broadcast live on television and was seen by millions of Americans, from school children to adult observers. President Reagan addressed the nation that evening, not just as a president, but as a fellow American who had also just witnessed such a terrible tragedy.

His brilliant and deliberate speech set the tone for the country's mourning, thus propelling the nation's will to overcome the horrific event by paying tribute to the seven astronauts who lost their lives and immortalizing these brave explorers as the American heroes they were:

Michael Smith
Dick Scobee
Judith Resnik
Ronald McNair
Ellison Onizuka
Gregory Jarvis
Christa McAuliffe

Related link: Challenger Disaster: Reagan's TV Address