NASA Day of Rememberance

[kkeenan 14]

For those who follow the American Space Program, a message from the NASA Administrator:
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NASA's Day of Remembrance

Today, we honor the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia astronauts, as well as others at NASA who have given their lives in pursuit of the dream of flight. In recognition of NASA's Day of Remembrance, I and some of our astronauts will visit Arlington National Cemetery to lay a wreath in memory of those members of the NASA family who have fallen in the line of duty.

From the dawn of the space age, we have known that spaceflight would bring with it unique new challenges, opportunities, rewards, and risks.
The Apollo fire, which occurred forty years ago on January 27, 1967, was a particular blow, because so few had anticipated that our first tragedy would occur during a ground test. The fire, and the loss of Challenger and Columbia, are stark reminders that we must use our utmost ingenuity to anticipate all of the risks before us, not just those that are obvious. To imagine the ways in which a complex new machine might fail is the most difficult of all engineering challenges, yet it is the one we at NASA have accepted as the price of learning the arts and sciences of flight in all its forms.

This Day of Remembrance also reminds us that despite our losses, the American people have never wavered in their support for space exploration. They know that it brings out the best in us, our creativity, our curiosity, our courage in the face of the unknown. Space exploration reminds us of what it is to be a human being, in ways that have been, and will be again, both supremely gratifying and deeply humbling. But through it all, through both failure and success, we continue our work to know, to experience, to understand, to become a spacefaring civilization.

As Alfred, Lord Tennyson, put it in Ulysses,

"... my purpose holds to sail beyond the sunset, and the baths of all the western stars, until I die. It may be that the gulfs will wash us down. It may be we shall touch the Happy Isles, and see the great Achilles, whom we knew. Though much is taken, much abides; and though we are not now that strength which in the old days moved earth and heaven; that which we are, we are; one equal-temper of heroic hearts, made weak by time and fate, but strong in will to strive, to seek, to find, and not to yield."

Today, we honor the sacrifice of those who did not yield.


Michael Griffin
NASA Administrator

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Dude, you are so awesome...
Can I be on your ash jump ?

[BillyVance 34]

This is the worst week in space exploration history. All three incidents in which astronauts died, the Apollo launch pad fire, the Challenger and Columbia shuttle disasters, all happened during this week of the year.

Call me weird, but I hope we never attempt another mission during this week again in the future.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[mx757 4]

[Peter_Phile 0]

i'd love to go into space, i have the utmost respect for astronauts

[BillyVance 34]

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That's the problem people have... They don't understand that space travel is experimental. You could do everything right and still die. Miss one little but critical detail and you most likely will die.

I'm surprised there hasn't been more accidents. The Soviets have had worse.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[Meux 0]

Kevin,

Thanks for the post. I remember exactly where I was at each moment and the sick feeling that followed. My dad worked on Apollo and was deeply affected by the first accident. I had bumped into Dick Scobee just a few weeks before Challenger and though I didn't have a direct connection with anyone aboard Columbia, it still hurt.

Godspeed All

[BillyVance 34]

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Kevin,

Thanks for the post. I remember exactly where I was at each moment and the sick feeling that followed. My dad worked on Apollo and was deeply affected by the first accident. I had bumped into Dick Scobee just a few weeks before Challenger and though I didn't have a direct connection with anyone aboard Columbia, it still hurt.

Godspeed All

My father worked for Thiokol Corp in the small motors division (not for the rocket booster program) for more than 30 years, but nevertheless, he and everyone else in the company caught a lot of shit after the Challenger accident.

"Mediocre people don't like high achievers, and high achievers don't like mediocre people." - SIX TIME National Champion coach Nick Saban

[mouth 0]

Cool info...THANKS for posting it. I am teaching my students about the Cold War era which included the Apollo program. So many of my students have never seen anything like it at all. They were thrilled to see my personal video from the last shuttle launch (I was flying over on my way to St. Lucia for my honeymoon)

--
Hot Mama
At least you know where you stand even if it is in a pile of shit.