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Houston, are we go?
- Thread starter Rgarner
- Start date
Would gray sweatpants work?
joe71
Android Expert
The first NASA thing I watched on TV was unfortunately the last Challenger launch. I remember watching it, and right before the explosion of the fuel tank seeing this orange glow. Something about it didn't seem right
Then the explosion.
I remember thinking that this isn't, doesn't seem right
but maybe it's part of the blast off
Then stuff started falling back to the ground, the ocean.
For a few seconds we (the students) thought everything was peachy that the Challenger had engaged wrap drive or something.
However the horrified faces and several teachers starting to tear up quickly told us something had gone wrong
Then the explosion.
I remember thinking that this isn't, doesn't seem right
but maybe it's part of the blast offThen stuff started falling back to the ground, the ocean.
For a few seconds we (the students) thought everything was peachy that the Challenger had engaged wrap drive or something.
However the horrified faces and several teachers starting to tear up quickly told us something had gone wrong
I seen that one, I think the President was giving a speech at our school when it happened
I had just walked into the chemistry lab after taking an Organic Chemistry test. A friend immediately said something about the Challenger exploding. He was a known jokester. I said "that's not funny." He said, no, really. We then started hearing/watching coverage of it. I just felt numb.
When I got home, I put CNN on and watched its continuous coverage of the tragedy. They played--over and over again--those last moments, with the flight controller saying 'go with throttle-up'...and then, boom!
joe71
Android Expert
I was 99.99% something seriously had gone wrong when the explosion occurredI had just walked into the chemistry lab after taking an Organic Chemistry test. A friend immediately said something about the Challenger exploding. He was a known jokester. I said "that's not funny." He said, no, really. We then started hearing/watching coverage of it. I just felt numb.
When I got home, I put CNN on and watched its continuous coverage of the tragedy. They played--over and over again--those last moments, with the flight controller saying 'go with throttle-up'...and then, boom!
But it was that 1% I was focused on, I and the other students were convince it was part of the launch.
I just remember watching it thinking okay they enter wrap or some kind super Sonic hyper drive.
I thought any minute we will see the shuttle either soaring into space or they will show the shuttle in space
I kept looking back and fourth the television screen and the teachers, waiting for confirmation everything was okay, everything was going to plan
But it never came
Then several teachers started to tear up and then CNN or someone said something about a major malfunction had occurred.
I was numb at first, but then as more and more facts came out about what had happened I was furious, so many people were are the situation wasn't right or ideal for a launch because of the weather
Then for years there was the cold comfort of knowing the seven astronauts had been killed instantly, that one second they were seeing a bright blue sky and the next second they were in heaven
Then it came out that there was communication with the Challenger after the explosion, that the crew component had survive the explosion.
An investigation later revealed or indicated the crew or at least a few were trying to do something.
The only comfort we can take is right before impact the astronauts were mostly likely unconscious or were no longer able to comprehend
And lastly the impact would killed them all instantly
joe71
Android Expert
While what actually occurred with the Challenger crew after the vehicle break up and if they were aware of what was going on.
We know the Columbia crew was dead within seconds of their shuttle breaking up.
I personally don't think the Columbia tragedy had the same impact, I think people after Challenger incident had come to accept the risk of space
We know the Columbia crew was dead within seconds of their shuttle breaking up.
I personally don't think the Columbia tragedy had the same impact, I think people after Challenger incident had come to accept the risk of space
Oh gee, I remember consoling my daughter--and myself, on behalf of their families--by believing the crew had died instantaneously, unaware of their impending deaths. And then when news broke that 4(?) of the 7 helmets...or seats?...had been manually triggered...that at least some had survived the explosion, I just couldn't fathom what their last moments were like. Their poor families.
I was at home [in Dallas] that morning, a Saturday as I recall, and had put the living room TV on while debating what to do that day. My two Great Danes and I were just sitting around, when we heard/felt two BOOMS, one right after the other. The windows rattled. My dogs looked at me quizzically, then ran to the front door barking.
I'm a Californian. I thought, earthquake? No, silly, earthquakes don't make booms. Then I went to the TV--and they said NASA had lost its communication with Columbia...
We went outside, and there were two huge, white contrails in the sky. We went back in and now they were saying reports had come in saying the shuttle had disintegrated upon re-entry. I grabbed my camera and ran back outside, and took pics of the contrails.
What had made that noise and shaken the house were sonic booms as the shuttle re-entered our atmosphere. The majority of the day was spent, once again, glued to CNN and its continuous coverage.
I think you're right.
FWIW, after I moved back to California, and before the shuttle program ended, I'd hear sonic booms now and then. Those were from the shuttles when they landed at Edwards Air Force Base.
Yeah, it didn't seem real. I guess people thought it was some kind of April fool in January, but it actually happened. It's too bad the shuttles turned out to be not that great. The physicist Richard Feynman did some investigating of the o ring problem, but I'm not sure what came of that.