6 Very Bad Days

[Thumper]

Although I've been enjoying the winter weather this week, historically, in the span of 6 days, starting yesterday, this has been a tragic week in Space history:
1 Jan 27 1967: Apollo 1 catches fire on the pad, killing three astronauts
2 Jan 28 1986: Shuttle Challenger explodes shortly after liftoff killing seven astronauts
3 Feb 1 2003: Shuttle Columbia burns up on re-entry killing seven astronauts.

Ironically, the first one probably saved the space program and allowed humans to reach the moon before Kennedy's deadline. The second two spelled the early retirement of the shuttle fleet and left us in this interesting situation we have now. Perhaps one day we will look back on them and decide they helped spur the development of private space companies and the assorted new technologies that will probably come from vastly differing approaches.

Although I was alive for all three, I was a bit young in 1967. But I will always remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the second two. I have photographic images of where I was, and also what I was seeing on TV at the time that will never leave my head.

[Swift]

Although I was alive for all three, I was a bit young in 1967. But I will always remember exactly where I was and what I was doing when I heard about the second two. I have photographic images of where I was, and also what I was seeing on TV at the time that will never leave my head.

I was 8, going on 9 for the first one, but for some reason I don't remember the event, though I remember after, and the sadness that this might be the end of the space program. I remember exactly what I was doing for the other two. All three still make me sad.

I pray for one last landing
On the hills that gave me birth
Let me rest my eyes
On the fleecy skies
And the cool green hills of Earth.

[Rommie]

On the bright side, I always say three things of astronomical note happened in one week in 1986- Challenger but also Voyager II sent back its Uranus pictures on Jan 26 (just no one remembers because of Challenger) and I was born on Jan 23. So there's that.

I was at a science fair of all things when Columbia happened- they announced it at the awards ceremony and I was in such shock I didn't even care I got a 2nd place. Really hard to believe that was over 10 years ago.

[cid]

I was in Ft Lauderdale for TAM 1 when Columbia didn't make it home.
We'd been at the Cape taking a tour two days earlier. Saw the memorial there for fallen astronauts.
Didn't realize there'd be more names on it so soon...

At TAM, emcee Hal Bidlack took the stage between speakers and made the announcement.
We went back to our rooms for an hour to watch the tube.
When we came back, The Bad Astronomer took the stage with his presentation.
Talk about a tough act to follow...but he pulled it off.
My respect for that gentleman/scientist/educator increased by orders of magnitude that day.