23 years ago today: Challenger

I was sitting in sixth-grade at Our Lady Of Pompeii school, feeling good since my birthday was two days prior. We watched it live. I don't remember the reactions of students or the teacher, I just remember we continued to watch live news all day on it -- something I wouldn't do again until the first Gulf War when my father and I stayed up all night watching CNN. Enthralled.

 

Egads! I'm a older than The Granny.

 

Maybe that was just one of the Granny's past lives.

 

How do you think I feel?!

 

I've only got Granny by a little over a month, but I'm all of the sudden craving Butterscotch.

 

I was in Leisure and Recreation class with the TV on watching it live.

 

All sorts of information on that mission: http://history.nasa.gov/sts51l.html

But if you want to read something truly horrific, "The fate of Challenger's crew: Dr. Joseph P. Kerwin's investigation tried to determine the cause of the crew's deaths. His report and the accompanying press release are available." http://history.nasa.gov/kerwin.html

Opens the possibility that the crew was alive, may have been fully conscious during the fall back to earth. A couple of their emergency oxygen packs were on, and it didn't look like they were jarred on upon impact. Egads.

 

I'd settle for a Social Security check. Or cheque for our Canuckistani friends.

 

First grade? Fifth grade? Good golly. You whippersnappers.

Heard about it between classes in college, professor let the class go and I watched CNN all afternoon. It was the JFK moment for our generation.

 

I was at home (snow day). Mom woke me up from a nap to say the shuttle had exploded. I cannot remember what grade I was in, third or fourth probably.

 

My first reaction? "Fuck. They're preempting The Price Is Right for another shuttle launch?"

 

I'd just come out of a class--I'd gone back to school while still working at the paper. I saw the contrails in the sky and asked what they were. I didn't believe it at first, but then went to work.