Remembering Heroes

It seems that the end of January and beginning of February are just a bad time for the Space program. On January 27, 1967 three astronauts were killed in a launch pad fire aboard the Apollo 1 spacecraft during an rehearsal for the first moon launch. Then, on January 28, 1986 seven astronauts, including the first teacher in space were killed when the Challenger space shuttle exploded 73 seconds after launch. And finally, on February 1, 2003 another seven astronauts were killed when the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated while returning from orbit.

While I wasn't around for Apollo 1, I do remember where I was for the Challenger explosion and when Columbia was destroyed. Columbia will be especially memorable for me since it was my birthday and my wife was out of town at the time.

I also have fond memories of getting permission from my parents to watch the first shuttle launch. It was early in the morning California time and I was only in 3rd grade. I even woke my sisters to watch because I wanted to share the historic moment with someone. Now, nearing the end of the operational life of the shuttles, I am saddened but at the same time hopeful that the local Air Force Museum can procure one of the last remaining orbiters for their collection. Too bad it won't be Columbia...

To their Memory

Apollo 1
Roger B. Chaffee
Virgil "Gus" Grissom
Edward H. White


Challenger
Greg Jarvis
Christa McAuliffe
Ron McNair
Ellison Onizuka
Judith Resnik
Dick Scobee
Mike Smith

Columbia
Michael Anderson
David Brown
Kalpana Chawla
Laurel Clark
Rick Husband
William McCool
Ilan Ramon

They gave their lives in service to their country in the ongoing exploration of humankind's final frontier. Remember them not for how they died, but for those ideals for which they lived.

--Dedication plaque to the crew of Apollo 1