I discovered today that I’ve never written about one of the more memorable events of my life, which took place 39 years ago.
The Challenger disaster was one of the most tragic events in the history of space exploration, occurring on January 28, 1986. I was home having lunch and watching television. The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after its launch from the Kennedy Space Center.
Seven crew members were onboard, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher who was to be the first civilian in space as part of NASA’s “Teacher in Space” project. Among the other mission specialists were Ellison Onizuka, the first Asian American astronaut who had previously flown on the Discovery shuttle, and Judith Resnik, an electrical engineer from Ohio who was also the second American woman in space. Lastly, Gregory Jarvis, an engineer from Hughes Aircraft, was aboard as a payload specialist.
Also onboard was Commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, a veteran pilot with experience in both military and NASA test flights; Pilot Michael J. Smith, a former Navy captain who was on his first space mission; and Mission Specialist Ronald McNair, a physicist who was also the second African American in space.
The immediate cause of the explosion was the failure of an O-ring seal in one of the solid rocket boosters, which allowed pressurized hot gas to escape and burn through the external fuel tank, leading to the catastrophic breakup of the shuttle.
It was preventable—an O-ring failure due to the frigid temperatures on the morning of the launch. The night before, temperatures had dipped below freezing, which was well outside the operational specifications for the O-rings.
Engineers expressed concerns, but there was pressure to launch. A delay was significant because there had already been some delays, so the decision to launch was made.
The disaster led to the formation of the Rogers Commission to investigate the causes. The commission’s report was highly critical of NASA’s decision-making process, complacency about safety, emphasis on maintaining launch schedules, and poor communication between engineers and management broke down.
The report led to major changes in NASA’s management and safety protocols, including better communication practices and the eventual redesign of solid rocket boosters. However, all of this came too late for the crew that was lost.
The Challenger disaster had profound effects beyond the immediate loss of life and the technical failures. Public trust in NASA’s ability to manage space missions was undermined, and the space shuttle program shut down for nearly three years.
President Ronald Reagan’s response to the Challenger disaster was immediate. On the day of the tragedy, January 28, 1986, instead of delivering his scheduled State of the Union address, Reagan addressed the nation from the Oval Office.
He spoke of the tragedy in his speech, saying, “Ladies and gentlemen, I’d planned to speak to you tonight to report on the state of the Union, but the events of earlier today have led me to change those plans. Today is a day for mourning and remembering.” He acknowledged the national pain, highlighting the significance of the loss and the courage of the Challenger crew.
Reagan’s address was excellent. Borrowing from the poem, he concluded with the memorable line, “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye. Borrowing from the poem, he concluded with the memorable line, “‘slipped the surly bonds of earth’ to ‘touch the face of God.'” This speech is remembered for its eloquence and emotions, offering empathy and solace to the public and honoring the memory of those lost.
Three days later, Reagan delivered another address at a memorial service in Houston, where he again spoke of national mourning and the personal loss felt by the families of the crew. He praised the astronauts for their dedication and service, saying, “They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths. They wished to serve, and they did. They served all of us.” For me, though, I go back to these as the most moving:
“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.'”
