30 Years ago this morning - Challenger rose to the skies

We had the TV on as background in my office - it was hard to believe at 1st.

RIP:
Francis R. Scobee, Commander
Michael J. Smith, Pilot
Ronald McNair, Mission Specialist
Ellison Onizuka, Mission Specialist
Judith Resnik, Mission Specialist
Gregory Jarvis, Payload Specialist
Christa McAuliffe, Payload Specialist






Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

I had no idea what was going on. I think I was in 3rd or 4th grade. I know I was supposed to feel bad about it, but truthfully, I think I was amazed at the explosion. I don't think I realized people were on there until later, then I felt bad.

Was in my apartment in east Lansing naked and wet. I was called out to our living room by room mates saying it was taking off. Back hen launches were still a big deal. Wrapped a towel around me, walked out to the living room we watched it live as it exploded. Didn't know what exactly happened. We were puzzled by the end trail smoke but for a minute the tv and us were a bit confused.

95% of the people on this board weren't even born yet.

DoogieHouser wrote:95% of the people on this board weren't even born yet.

There are like 3 people under 30 here doogie. God you suck.

The 7 Challenger Astronauts

I was in my office, and the guy who's office was across the hall from me had a 7" black & white TV. Imagine about a dozen people huddled around a 7" TV.

Floyd Robertson wrote:I was in my office, and the guy who's office was across the hall from me had a 7" black & white TV. Imagine about a dozen people huddled around a 7" TV.

Heh, be like everyone watching something on an iPhone or Galaxy now.

10th grade.. massive snowstorm in the mountains of North Carolina.. No school. Walked a couple of miles to my friends house to hang.

Floyd Robertson wrote:I was in my office, and the guy who's office was across the hall from me had a 7" black & white TV. Imagine about a dozen people huddled around a 7" TV.

lol, we were pimping compared to that - had a 13" color model on a little shelf.

Heart breaking watching the parents reactions to one of the females astronauts as they see the shuttle explode.  Dont think they really knew what was going on. McAuliffe's parents...can't imagine what it would be like to see that happen in real time.

DoogieHouser wrote:95% of the people on this board weren't even born yet.

You're off by 90%. Know your audience jackass.

Also, just an FYI. Your trolling sucks. Nothing you post elicits an emotional response. You're boring as fuck. Get it together.

I could be wrong.. and maybe it is stuff of urban legend... but I had heard that there was a possibility that the astronauts may have survived the actual explosion and only died upon impact into the ocean.

again.. I'm not expert on anything.. in fact, I'm downright dumb.. but if that's even remotely possible, the thought of it is horrific.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

DoogieHouser wrote:95% of the people on this board weren't even born yet.

You're off by 90%. Know your audience jackass.

Also, just an FYI. Your trolling sucks. Nothing you post elicits an emotional response. You're boring as fuck. Get it together.

Please stop copying my posts.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I could be wrong.. and maybe it is stuff of urban legend... but I had heard that there was a possibility that the astronauts may have survived the actual explosion and only died upon impact into the ocean.

again.. I'm not expert on anything.. in fact, I'm downright dumb.. but if that's even remotely possible, the thought of it is horrific.

Yep there are many people that believe the crew or some of the crew was alive when they hit the water. Apparently there is evidence that their oxygen masks were activated after the initial explosion.

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I could be wrong.. and maybe it is stuff of urban legend... but I had heard that there was a possibility that the astronauts may have survived the actual explosion and only died upon impact into the ocean.

again.. I'm not expert on anything.. in fact, I'm downright dumb.. but if that's even remotely possible, the thought of it is horrific.

Oxygen lever was turned on. That required somebody leaning forward and twisting a knob I believe.

The_Dude wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I could be wrong.. and maybe it is stuff of urban legend... but I had heard that there was a possibility that the astronauts may have survived the actual explosion and only died upon impact into the ocean.

again.. I'm not expert on anything.. in fact, I'm downright dumb.. but if that's even remotely possible, the thought of it is horrific.

Yep there are many people that believe the crew or some of the crew was alive when they hit the water. Apparently there is evidence that their oxygen masks were activated after the initial explosion.

yikes.

DWags wrote:

Robert J Sakimano wrote:I could be wrong.. and maybe it is stuff of urban legend... but I had heard that there was a possibility that the astronauts may have survived the actual explosion and only died upon impact into the ocean.

again.. I'm not expert on anything.. in fact, I'm downright dumb.. but if that's even remotely possible, the thought of it is horrific.

Oxygen lever was turned on. That required somebody leaning forward and twisting a knob I believe.

man.. would be a rough couple of minutes, for sure.

http://www.space-shuttle.com/challenger1.htm

Last words recorded were by Smith, "Uh oh".


May 21 - Investigators found evidence some of the PEAPs had been activated.

June 4 - Investigators determined PEAP activation was not caused by crew cabin impact in the ocean.

Of the four PEAPs recovered, the one that belonged to Scobee had not been activated. Of the other three, one was identified as Smith's and because of the location of the activation switch on the back of his seat, Truly said he believed Resnik or Onizuka turned the pilot's emergency air supply on in a heroic bid to save his life. The exact sequence of events will never be known.

---
I was in my dorm (128 Snyder) when it exploded. Blew off my classes and watched coverage in my RA's room.

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

You're off by 90%. Know your audience jackass.

Also, just an FYI. Your trolling sucks. Nothing you post elicits an emotional response. You're boring as fuck. Get it together.

Please stop copying my posts.

Go choke on a dick.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

Travis of the Cosmos wrote:

Please stop copying my posts.

Go choke on a dick.

Shut up turtle.

http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/result-would-be-catastrophe.html

I was in 7th grade. After it happened, they rolled a TV into the classroom for us to watch the coverage. When they rolled a TV into your classroom in those days, you knew it was important.

The_Dude wrote:http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/result-would-be-catastrophe.html

As a mechanical engineer, that letter freaks me out. I'm glad the shit I design has no chance of killing anyone. That guy knew what happened the moment it blew up.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

The_Dude wrote:http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/result-would-be-catastrophe.html

As a mechanical engineer, that letter freaks me out. I'm glad the shit I design has no chance of killing anyone. That guy knew what happened the moment it blew up.

I've seen a couple of documentaries on it, supposedly he was arguing against the launch right up to the night before.

Watch Out Pylon! wrote:

The_Dude wrote:http://www.lettersofnote.com/2009/10/result-would-be-catastrophe.html

As a mechanical engineer, that letter freaks me out. I'm glad the shit I design has no chance of killing anyone. That guy knew what happened the moment it blew up.

Yeah man...imagine being the victim's family and reading that. The deaths should have been prevented.

Damn I miss Ronaldus Maximus:

Ronald Reagan's Challenger Speech — Dave In Texas
Less than 5 hours after the accident. I had forgotten he cancelled his State of the Union Address and instead did this, 30 years ago today.

Launch should have been cancelled but some senior NASA engineers overlooked how the rubber gaskets would react to the unusually cold temps that morning.

LooseGoose wrote:Damn I miss Ronaldus Maximus:

Ronald Reagan's Challenger Speech — Dave In Texas
Less than 5 hours after the accident. I had forgotten he cancelled his State of the Union Address and instead did this, 30 years ago today.

The entire country misses leadership.

Floyd Robertson wrote:

LooseGoose wrote:Damn I miss Ronaldus Maximus:

Ronald Reagan's Challenger Speech — Dave In Texas
Less than 5 hours after the accident. I had forgotten he cancelled his State of the Union Address and instead did this, 30 years ago today.

The entire country misses leadership.

Amen

31 years ago today. RIP.

I remember two things: 1) Hearing about it while walking to class on the sidewalk in the courtyard between the International Center and Wells Hall. 2) That I heard my first sick "Space Shuttle Joke" later that day.

The jokes normally involved Christine McAuliff:
-We know she had dandruff because her head and shoulders were found floating off Cape Canaveral.
-She didn't take a shower that morning. She figured she'd wash-up on shore later that day.
- Q: What was the last thing to cross her mind during the explosion? A: A chunk of sheet metal.

I remember thinking it was the Russians sabotaging us. By that time, the Shuttle missions had become so routine, people hardly paid attention. The tragedy reminded Americans how dangerous maned space flight is, and how bureaucrats could screw stuff up.

I was in the radio studio of WLFT at the Auditorium doing my 15 minute sports update.

The AP wire was going crazy and I had to report the explosion. Good thing nobody was listening ( signal covered campus and no further) because I butchered it.