[ADXA] CHALLENGER DISASTER

Wed Jan 28 18:46:13 EST 2026

Hi Steve,

I can certainly relate to the pounding of the shock waves.  Among my Air 
Force assignments was processing SR-71 flight recorder tapes. Once in 
Okiinawa, I was treated to watching a clear nighttime "launch" (as they 
called it), while standing in the bed of a truck, about 100 yards from 
the left-rear of the blackbird.  We had ear plugs under our headgear, 
and when it hit the thrusters, my chest was pounding enough to knock me 
to my knees.  The flame was almost the length of the plane.  Right after 
it left the ground, it immediately turned straight up, and there was no 
trace of it within 30 seconds.

Now, as for teletypes, I can relate to that too.  My first assignment 
out of tech school was Osan AB, Korea, where I was a telecommunications 
specialist (tech controller).  Our primary mode of communication with 
off-base sites was via teletype.  What was cool about them was how you 
could play around with the shift key, and other non-printable 
characters, such as the bell, to get the other operator's attention.  
They might be asleep across the room, and it got'em up.  We also used 
the teletype tape punch, to prepare morning reports, for sending to the 
Defense Communications Agency. I was also trained to repair the teletypes.

Michael, NO6O

On 2026-01-28 4:11 PM, Steven Rutledge wrote:
>
> Hi guys.  I grew up in Orlando.  My mother and father were standing in 
> our driveway watching the launch.  They saw the whole thing.  My 
> mother immediately knew it had blown up.  Every time that particular 
> rocket was launched, it shook the windows in our house in Orlando and 
> rattled the glasses and the china. Later I was able to view a launch 
> from the roof of the communications center with VP Quayle.  Reportedly 
> the closest you can get to the launch.  Much closer than the press 
> area.  It was incredible.  One other thing.  I have the UPI original 
> teletype print-outs announcing the fire in the the capsule that killed 
> Gus Grissom and the other Astronauts.  These were the old teletype 
> machines like you probably saw in the military if are as old as me.  
> The reporters at the Cape were hand-typing the details from the 
> scene.  Pretty amazing.
>
> Sorry to get off topic here to all that aren't interested.
>
> Steve, N4JQQ
>
> On 1/28/2026 2:49 PM, Michael Reynolds, NO6O wrote:
>> Hi Don,
>>
>> Has it been that long already?  I was working at the Sprint 
>> Communications Network Management Center, in Burlingame, CA.  I was a 
>> telecommunications technician, troubleshooting problems on the 
>> network.  This was back when it was necessary to dial a local access 
>> number to choose a long-distance carrier, other than AT&T.  It's also 
>> when Sprint completed their nationwide fiber optic system.
>>
>> I happened to hear the announcement of the Challenger explosion on 
>> the radio, and called out to everyone.  Someone found a TV, and we 
>> watched the live reports coming in.
>>
>> As for the Space Center, I used to be stationed at Patrick Air Force 
>> Base (now Space Force), near Cocoa Beach, in Florida.  I was in a 
>> tactical mobile communications unit.  I lived just down the coast 
>> from the Space Center, in Cape Canaveral.  I was there to see both 
>> Voyager 1 and 2 lift off.  That was the thrill of a lifetime, 
>> considering where they were headed.
>>
>> Also, whenever a rocket happened to explode after take off, our unit 
>> would be deployed to search for debris.
>>
>> Michael, NO6O
>>
>>
>> On 2026-01-28 2:28 PM, Don Banta wrote:
>>>
>>> I cannot believe the time has flown so fast, but today is the 40^th 
>>> 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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>>
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