[ADXA] CHALLENGER DISASTER

[w5znjoel at gmail.com]

I was with my team at a Department of Energy nuclear facility in Aiken,
South Carolina performing some exams/inspections when someone came in to the
reactor bldg and announced what had happened. Needless to say, everyone's
focus migrated away from the inspections!

 

73 Joel W5ZN/ZF2ZN

 

From: adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net <adxa-bounces at mailman.qth.net> On Behalf
Of Don Banta
Sent: Wednesday, January 28, 2026 2:29 PM
To: ADXA <adxa at mailman.qth.net>
Subject: [ADXA] CHALLENGER DISASTER

 

I cannot believe the time has flown so fast, but today is the 40th
anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster.  Perhaps this might be
interesting to some of you:

 

Do you remember where you were and/or what you were doing that day on
January 28, 1986?

 

It isn't hard at all for me to remember. - I was there.. at the Kennedy
Space Center visitor launch viewing area, 6 miles from Launch Complex 39-B.

 

I was treated to one of the greatest thrills I've ever experienced.  Viewing
a shuttle launch live is like viewing a total solar eclipse live.watching on
television doesn't even come close.  Unfortunately, that thrill lasted only
72 seconds.  Within 10 minutes of the explosion, we were herded back on the
bus that had brought us to the viewing area from the Kennedy Space Center
visitor center.  We were then instructed to leave immediately as the base
was being closed.  I had just enough time to sprint into the gift shop and
gather a few items for mementos.

 

Although the racks were already almost bare, I was able to secure a
Challenger button, flight patch, and packet of official NASA Challenger
photos.  The next day before leaving our Orlando hotel, I found and
purchased a copy of the Orlando Sentinel newspaper and after arriving back
home had the front page laminated to preserve it.  A couple of weeks later I
purchased the issue of People magazine that honored Christa McAuliffe:

 


				
			
	
		
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


73 - Don K5DB

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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