25 Years ago today....

[November4]

Remembering the crew of the Challenger.



BBC News - Challenger shuttle disaster remembered 25 years on

...Obviously a major malunction...

A master of understatment.

[Ogre]

If you read the many good books on the subject, you will see that it was more a cultural issue than mechanical failure, and in 25 years how far have we come to learn from the mistakes?

[helidriver]

Crumbs, 25 years ago! I remember watching it live on TV as a spotty 16 yr old and calling my mum in from the kitchen. We both sat and watched the events following in disbelief. I still remember those last words, "Go, with throttle up......"

[albatross]

It was one of those things that you always remember where you were when you heard.
I was doing flight tests on a laser survey system and had the ADF tuned to the local radio station when they announced it.
Sad event.

[Avionker]

I was at RAF Brawdy in west Wales. I saw the news on the TV whilst sitting in the groundcrew crewroom of B Flt 202 Sqn RAF. It even caused the uckers game to be abandoned. I was a fresh faced Junior Technician straight out of training at the time.

Was that really 25 years ago.....

It was an incredibly sad event, and unfortunately was the beginning of many tragedies over the next couple of years as I seem to remember.

Chernobyl, the Herald of Free Enterprise, Kegworth, Lockerbie, King Cross tube fire, Piper Alpha. Is my memory playing tricks or were all those events between '86 and '88?

[1.3VStall]

Is it really that long ago? I was at RAF Honington at the time - before the fun detectors found it and removed flying from an extremely pleasant part of East Anglia.

[Airborne Aircrew]

I had just walked in from a ground run or air test - I don't remember which and the TV at the Ops desk on 33 Sqn was on. The Ops Sgt. told me, the conversation went some something like...

Ops: The space shuttle just blew up.

Me: Bollox

Ops: Really... On take off...

Me: You're joking right?

Ops: Nope

Me: Sh...

Sad day...

[phil9560]

Some years ago I emailed Roger Boisjoly who was a Senior Engineer at Morton Thiakol .They were the company who manufactured the SRBs'.A year before the Challenger disaster he had voiced concerns about the effects of extreme cold on the seals in the booster joints.He was kind enough to answer several questions.I've pasted the reply he was kind enough to give below.It makes intersting reading.

Considering your emotions leading upto,and during the teleconference on the eve of the launch, would you have voiced your concerns to any one of the astronauts if the chance had arisen?

Answer: I along with several of my colleagues who were trying to stop the launch really thought that NASA would listen to us and stop the launch, so it never entered my mind about the need to contact the astronauts. Also, please understand that I had no way of contacting them even if I had wanted to do it. They are kept in seclusion prior to any launch and nobody except an immediate family member may contact them. This also answers the next question.

Or to be more direct,did it cross your mind at any time during the weeks leading up to the launch? I believe it`s possible you may have met the crew at some point, though Im not sure.

Do you think they would have listened to you?

Answer: Yes, I am quite certain that both the Commander and Pilot would have definitely listened and cancelled the flight. I speak with sure conviction because I know that Commander Scobee told his wife the night before launch that he had asked NASA if it was prudent to launch in freezing weather and they showed hime pictures of a Solid Rocket Booster firing on the ground with snow on the groiund and said it works just fine. However, NASA lied to the Commander because the temperature of the O-Ringes at the time of the ground testing was between 47 and 52 degrees F. This information was seen by millions here in the U.S. on the 60 minutes show that aired on the 10th anniversary of the Challenger disaster as Mrs. Scobee was being interviewed by leslie Stahl.

It`s hard to evaluate the possible ramifications if you had voiced the concerns to the crew,but one thing is for sure....I personally would not have wanted to fly if an engineer had told me the facts.

Answer: I would have still lost my career but at least none of the astronauts would have died.

If you dont mind me asking,do you find that the tragedy is etched in your mind to a degree where you live with it every day,or have you managed to shelve it to a corner of the mind?

I have lived with the disaster for 21 years and I know I will continue to do so for the rest of my life. However, I want you to know that I am okay and have recovered from all the negative features of the event because I was able to speak about it for 19 years to mostly college student all ove the US and several other countries like Norway, Sweden, Canada, Mexico, etc.

I do hope I havent bothered you too much,Im sure youre a very busy man.

Answer: You haven't bothered me at all and that is why I am answering your inquiry. I am now fully retired fro my own business that my wife and I formed after the Challenger disaster since I was Blackballed from being able to secure employment in my own country as an engineer because I was branded a Whistleblower (Truthteller - my term) by our media after I testified and exposed the truth about what really happened during the launch decision process.

[ozbiggles]

And sadly the Columbia crew were served no better.
A known problem not considered to be an issue.

[L J R]

...An F-111C from 1 SQN RAAF also did not return on the same day/night. RIP Esky and Greg.