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- From: gawne@stsci.edu
- Subject: Re: Today in 1986-Remember the Challenger
- Message-ID: <1993Jan27.222514.1@stsci.edu>
- Lines: 26
- Sender: news@stsci.edu
- Organization: Space Telescope Science Institute
- References: <1993Jan28.010055.1691@ringer.cs.utsa.edu>
- Distribution: na
- Date: Thu, 28 Jan 1993 03:25:14 GMT
-
- In article <1993Jan28.010055.1691@ringer.cs.utsa.edu>,
- sbooth@lonestar.utsa.edu (Simon E. Booth) writes:
-
- > Just a reminder- 7 years ago today- 11:38am EST....
- > So, where were you when the Challenger disaster took place?
- > It was during my sophomore of high school, and I was in English class
- > when they told us.
- > No tribute of any sort was allowed, nor could we openly talk about it
- > without some sort of negative reaction from administrators.
- > I remember it well, I even got in 'trouble' for this.
- > Pro-space exploration views were not welcome.
- > At least now things have improved.
-
- I was at work in the service department of Bill Utter Ford in Denton TX
- (working my way thru my undergrad physics degree). Joel Petty (another
- mechanic) and I listened to the launch on his radio while we worked. I
- recall hearing the comment, "...looks like a major malfunction..." and
- feeling the same way I would if I saw flashing lights in my rear view
- mirror -- a gut wrenching fear.
-
- After another minute or so the word started to circulate that "the shuttle
- blew up". The owner called all employees up to the showroom where we
- watched the TV and waited for further results. After ~45 minutes we knew
- the worst was confirmed and went back to work somewhat dazed.
-
- -Bill Gawne, Space Telescope Science Institute
-