Where Were You ?

Today marks the 23rd anniversary of the doomed Space Shuttle Challenger mission. Before the eyes of the nation, and the world, the space shuttle exploded.
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http://www.space-video.info/shuttle/challenger-sts51l.html

Above 1: The United States Space Shuttle CHALLENGER just seconds after its explosive destruction on January 28, 1986. The accident, which occurred a little more than a minute after liftoff, killed the orbiter’s seven-person crew, including the first teacher to be launched into space. -NASA-

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Above 2: The Crew of the Space Shuttle Challenger.

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http://www.nasa.gov/centers/kennedy/about/history/timeline/1980.html

President Ronald Regan addressed the Nation that evening, but instead of giving The State Of The Union speech as had been planned, he spoke to all Americans about the tragic Challenger accident.

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You can hear or read his speech here:

http://www.americanrhetoric.com/speeches/ronaldreaganchallenger.htm
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As for me, I was a freshman in highschool. My daily Biology I class had just begun. We were ahead of schedule and so planned (the day before) to watch the Space Shuttle Challenger launch on television during our 60 minute class time. But within moments of tuning in, we instead watched as it exploded -- a terrible tragedy ! Classes merged with classes in every area of the school with a television. The student body, teachers, and faculty members sat and watched -- and then, the next thing we knew, the daily dismissal tones sounded. I had been "in" Biology for almost the entire day.

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It is certainly a day I will never forget !