Shuttle 51L: Challenger

My wife and I work at the airport, and as we were about to leave, I was watching the launch when it exploded. I exclaimed "the shuttle just exploded" and we both stood in absolute disbelief. God rest their souls ... 😢 🙏

I just can’t imagine how traumatized Christine’s students were after this… for one she seemed like a very beloved teacher, kind, ambitious, giving…. And then for most of them to probably have seen this live….. Omg

Seeing tthem boarding the shuttle, knowing that they have stepped their last steps on earth forever is just... surreal.

I was in 5th grade on the class of a Mrs. Hill. We, along with other classes had a TV cart wheeled in so we could watch this. As kids, we didnt really understand what we had witnessed, but there was a palpable sense of dread. I remember Mrs Hill gasping and then doing her best to compose herself for our sake. I remember a girl in my class whom I remember but will not name say "its not supposed to do that, is it?" I think all of us were hoping that we were all seeing something that would turn out to be nothing out of the ordinary and everthing was going to be fine. Its surreal how your mind can burn moments of trauma into your memory that never seem to fade after many decades. What a sad, somber, and world changing tragedy this was. I remember on the evening news that night, the anchor mentioned that the Soviet Government played one hour of American music on Soviet radio as a sign of respect and shared sorrow.

My dad loved the space shuttles this launch shook him to his core

I was in freshman Algebra class watching this happen real time. My teacher had gone to college with Christa and had remained friends with her over the years. When it happened, my teacher screamed and passed out. When she came to , she thought it was a dream and unfortunately, we had to tell her that it wasn’t. She began crying and we, as a class gave her a group hug as best we could. It had to be horrible watching a good friend die like that. God rest their souls

Was home from school that morning, was watching it with my mom. She was a huge space fan. The folks on the radio sound so calm and controlled even after they just witnessed the disaster. I can only imagine what was going through their minds at the time.

I remember it very clearly. I was watching it on a small tv in the kitchen. My parents were out. I saw the SRB's separate early and unusual and thought that was wrong. Then I waited for the shuttle to appear out of the smoke. It never did. When my parents came home, I told them the shuttle blew up. Those memories will never go away!

I remember this so well. I was at work and one of our customers called and said the Shuttle just blew up. That’s all that was on TV for months. God rest the crew of Challenger.🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻

Those technicians helping them put the helmet/suits minutes before launching . I bet they were shocked 😢 when minutes after it exploded. The crazy feeling when you just saw someone and minutes after they are gone is beyond shocking.

Seeing those SRB's keep on going without the orbiter and EFT is soul crushing.

I saw it from Orlando Florida, I still Shed tears today when I watch the video. 🙏🏻🇺🇸

37 years ago I watched this live as a 5 year old it's stuck in my mind ever since

Was at work. United Technologies CSD which provided the IUS rocket stage for the TDRS payload onboard that day. Weeks before some of the crew came to visit. I remember shaking Judy Resnick's hand. She was so tiny.

Crazy to see them happy, smiling and walking, then a few minutes they are just gone.

The one thing I never liked about the shuttle was the inability to escape a catastrophe prior to the SRB separation. At least with Apollo, they had the escape tower.

I am still in tears every time I see this. All that time ago, you wouldn't think it would get me but it does. Be one thing it if it was one of those "How the hell did that happen" things, but I can't imagine how the people who begged them NOT to launch felt, knowing they were ignored and they launched it anyway.

I still have the VHS tapes. I bought them at Walmart in the late 1990s.

Imagine the fear not dying from the blast but dying hitting the ocean knowing your family was watching

Всем покорителям космоса большое уважение. И всем погибшим царствие небесное. Это смелые люди. Помню как переживал вместе со всем миром, когда взорвался Челленджер. Мне было 10 лет.