January 28, 1986

[Brute 23]

 

[kenny thomas]

Sad to watch.

 

[SBMF 2015]

I don't remember it(I was 3.5) but it's my younger sisters birthday today and my mom always talked about it when we were growing up.

 

[SmokinM]

Watched it live in 3rd. grade. Remember the stunned silence and the teacher rushing to turn off the tv. Sad day for sure.

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

I had just got home from Florida and the launch had been delayed. I missed my girlfriend at the time and asked her to marry me, almost 38 years later she's still hanging out.

 

[Travlr]

I was hanging out, taking a break after washing some private jets and listening to the launch on the radio. One of the pilots ran out and invited me into the airport office to watch. The reactions of the pilots...

 

[Ouachita]

I was sitting in Mrs. Langston's english class, junior year of high school. We weren't watching it, but when it happened the principal announced it on the intercom.

For the Columbia disaster (2002 or 3?), I was at a 3 day auction in Nacogdoches, TX. We had been camped at a small lake west of town, and were told to leave the next morning. I didn't realize that pieces and parts had fallen around us and the authorities were securing the area.

 

[Dave]

I would have been 35at the time. Mom's health was really failing. So I had stopped in to see my parents. Mom was bed ridden so after visiting with her I was talking to Dad. Dad and I watched it happen on TV.

 

[Brute 23]

I was hanging out, taking a break after washing some private jets and listening to the launch on the radio. One of the pilots ran out and invited me into the airport office to watch. The reactions of the pilots...

That is hard for every one to watch but it hits a little differnet when it's tied to your occupation.

 

[jltrent]

Remember seeing it happen as everybody was all excited. The schools were watching as one the people going up was a teacher. When they hit full throttle, she blew.

 

[Ky hills]

I was in 5th grade at the time. Our class was watching it on tv. Sad time.

 

[alacowman1]

Remember watching it on the tv ,in the customer lounge, Brave souls …

 

[Silver]

I was sitting in Mrs. Langston's english class, junior year of high school. We weren't watching it, but when it happened the principal announced it on the intercom.

For the Columbia disaster (2002 or 3?), I was at a 3 day auction in Nacogdoches, TX. We had been camped at a small lake west of town, and were told to leave the next morning. I didn't realize that pieces and parts had fallen around us and the authorities were securing the area.

I was in Mrs. Vandermark's English class in junior high when I heard about it. Everyone was talking about some tragedy and when I asked what it was Wade looked at me and said " the space shuttle blew up". It was a gut punch.

 

[simme]

Cause of the explosion was the failure of an o-ring to seal a joint in the solid rocket booster. Temperature was low on the morning of the launch. The engineers warned of the danger of o-ring failure to seal due to low temperature. Management disregarded the engineers and proceeded with the launch.

 

[CowboyRam]

I have an aunt that was on the list of teachers that they were going to choose from. Fortunately she was not chosen.

 

[Silver]

Cause of the explosion was the failure of an o-ring to seal a joint in the solid rocket booster. Temperature was low on the morning of the launch. The engineers warned of the danger of o-ring failure to seal due to low temperature. Management disregarded the engineers and proceeded with the launch.

Wasn't the blame for the o-ring put on a company called Ferris Root and Browning or something that sounded like that?

 

[Ouachita]

Cause of the explosion was the failure of an o-ring to seal a joint in the solid rocket booster. Temperature was low on the morning of the launch. The engineers warned of the danger of o-ring failure to seal due to low temperature. Management disregarded the engineers and proceeded with the launch.

I have a long time customer that became a friend. He had a lifelong career at NASA. Been retired for nearly 20 years.
His telling to me matches what you've posted here, but maybe a few more details.

 

[TCRanch]

I was in college in a class with 350 students. The professor stopped class so we could either discuss, leave, or sit there with a shocked face. I stayed. Tragedies like this didn't happen much in those days.

 

[Ouachita]

I was in college in a class with 350 students. The professor stopped class so we could either discuss, leave, or sit there with a shocked face. I stayed. Tragedies like this didn't happen much in those days.

College? 1986?
Dang, I'm feeling like a spring chicken

 

[Dave]

College? 1986?
Dang, I'm feeling like a spring chicken

1986 it had been 15 years since I was in college. I had already ran all over the west chasing rodeo. Spent 6 years in Alaska murdering trees. January of '86 I was alternating between running a long line trap line and hanging in a cowboy bar running a different kind of trap line. But I am still wondering what happened to 1987?