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snufflesdbearhttp://news.yahoo.com/s/yblog_newsroom/20110127/sc_yblog_newsroom/25th-anniversary-of-the-challenger-disaster (via shareaholic)
Friday is the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster that took the lives of 7 astronauts, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Last week, we asked Yahoo! readers and Facebook fans to share their memories from that day.
[Share your Challenger memories on Yahoo! News' Facebook page]
It's a moment that's burned into a generation's mind: The white exhaust plume trailing behind the rapidly ascending Challenger; a fireball, then a huge cloud splitting into a "Y" formation as the shuttle broke apart and fell back to earth.
Many of those who watched the tragedy unfold live on TV were children; NASA had arranged a live satellite broadcast for many schools across the nation. Yahoo! user Lisa recalled watching the Challenger launch during class:
'I was in 6th grade. It was a special event for our small school, since we rarely got to watch TV in class, made even more so with the fact that there was a teacher going up into space for the first time. All 40 little faces were glued to the screen in excited anticipation. And then we all watched as the explosion ripped through the shuttle...'
Click image to see the Challenger disaster slideshow
AP
You can read all the responses by going to the original post. Here are some we wanted to highlight (some are excerpted, but they're otherwise unedited):
Jenni: I was watching it live outside of my high school in FL. We have a great view here and when the explosion happened it was clear that something went very very wrong. The first teacher in space was aboard the flight; it was on all of our TVs and we were encouraged to watch the launch. It was very surreal - every launch I've seen from that point on has made me hold my breath and pray for a safe mission.
[Related: McAuliffe family statement]
Sweet T: Since I live in Florida, I knew it would take a few seconds for me to see the Challenger rise up over the tree line; I'd just seen the lift-off on TV. I was just crossing the doorstep, when my neighbor ran into the yard yelling: "IT BLEW UP! IT BLEW UP!" I whipped around to the right and looked up; I was horrified, seeing the "plumes" slowly enlarge and drape downward as if a flower were blooming.
[Related: McAuliffe's hometown remembers]
Laurel: As a young science teacher, I had my 7th grade class in the library to watch the lift-off. We were going to follow along as a class with Christa McAuliffe as she did science experiments in space in the upcoming weeks. We had discussed her many times, had worksheets printed and were excited about this wonderful opportunity. I felt a strong kinship to her. When the explosion occurred, the library remained perfectly silent for a long time...
[Related: NASA worker recalls close, personal connections]
Candy Fitzpatrick-Schackel (via Facebook): What I remember most -- my 4 year old son was sitting on my lap as we watched the take off. Then the explosion, my son just looked up at me and asked what happened. I had no words, just shock.
Kele Sammons (via Facebook): I was working at the Tahoe Daily Tribune when it happened. It was a rough day sorting through photos and putting together the special edition. Still brings tears to my eyes.
Susan Marie (via Facebook): Wow, 25 years? I was in 7th grade, luckily we didn't see it happen on live TV like so many kids did. I just remember being horrified at the sight of it, over and over, on TV later that day, and couldn't believe what had happened.
[Related: Who were the seven Challenger astronauts?]
Patricia Lynn (via Facebook): I was living in Sarasota, on the West Coast of Florida. We heard on the radio that the Challenger had exploded. I ran outside and could see the fireball and diverging trails. It was a horrible sight.
Where were you when you heard about the Challenger disaster? Yahoo! News wants to hear your story: your reaction, your thoughts, your feelings in that moment.
Read Yahoo! News' Comment Guidelines. Please keep it clean and respectful. If a comment contains "obscenities, abusive language or otherwise objectionable content," it will be removed.
Friday is the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster that took the lives of 7 astronauts, including schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Last week, we asked Yahoo! readers and Facebook fans to share their memories from that day.
[Share your Challenger memories on Yahoo! News' Facebook page]
It's a moment that's burned into a generation's mind: The white exhaust plume trailing behind the rapidly ascending Challenger; a fireball, then a huge cloud splitting into a "Y" formation as the shuttle broke apart and fell back to earth.
Many of those who watched the tragedy unfold live on TV were children; NASA had arranged a live satellite broadcast for many schools across the nation. Yahoo! user Lisa recalled watching the Challenger launch during class:
'I was in 6th grade. It was a special event for our small school, since we rarely got to watch TV in class, made even more so with the fact that there was a teacher going up into space for the first time. All 40 little faces were glued to the screen in excited anticipation. And then we all watched as the explosion ripped through the shuttle...'
Click image to see the Challenger disaster slideshow
AP
You can read all the responses by going to the original post. Here are some we wanted to highlight (some are excerpted, but they're otherwise unedited):
Jenni: I was watching it live outside of my high school in FL. We have a great view here and when the explosion happened it was clear that something went very very wrong. The first teacher in space was aboard the flight; it was on all of our TVs and we were encouraged to watch the launch. It was very surreal - every launch I've seen from that point on has made me hold my breath and pray for a safe mission.
[Related: McAuliffe family statement]
Sweet T: Since I live in Florida, I knew it would take a few seconds for me to see the Challenger rise up over the tree line; I'd just seen the lift-off on TV. I was just crossing the doorstep, when my neighbor ran into the yard yelling: "IT BLEW UP! IT BLEW UP!" I whipped around to the right and looked up; I was horrified, seeing the "plumes" slowly enlarge and drape downward as if a flower were blooming.
[Related: McAuliffe's hometown remembers]
Laurel: As a young science teacher, I had my 7th grade class in the library to watch the lift-off. We were going to follow along as a class with Christa McAuliffe as she did science experiments in space in the upcoming weeks. We had discussed her many times, had worksheets printed and were excited about this wonderful opportunity. I felt a strong kinship to her. When the explosion occurred, the library remained perfectly silent for a long time...
[Related: NASA worker recalls close, personal connections]
Candy Fitzpatrick-Schackel (via Facebook): What I remember most -- my 4 year old son was sitting on my lap as we watched the take off. Then the explosion, my son just looked up at me and asked what happened. I had no words, just shock.
Kele Sammons (via Facebook): I was working at the Tahoe Daily Tribune when it happened. It was a rough day sorting through photos and putting together the special edition. Still brings tears to my eyes.
Susan Marie (via Facebook): Wow, 25 years? I was in 7th grade, luckily we didn't see it happen on live TV like so many kids did. I just remember being horrified at the sight of it, over and over, on TV later that day, and couldn't believe what had happened.
[Related: Who were the seven Challenger astronauts?]
Patricia Lynn (via Facebook): I was living in Sarasota, on the West Coast of Florida. We heard on the radio that the Challenger had exploded. I ran outside and could see the fireball and diverging trails. It was a horrible sight.
Where were you when you heard about the Challenger disaster? Yahoo! News wants to hear your story: your reaction, your thoughts, your feelings in that moment.
Read Yahoo! News' Comment Guidelines. Please keep it clean and respectful. If a comment contains "obscenities, abusive language or otherwise objectionable content," it will be removed.
