Twenty five years ago, a historic event imprinted itself on all of our memories. Like the day, John F. Kennedy was assassinated or when the planes hit the towers, most people recall the exact time and place they were when they heard of the Space Shuttle Challenger’s tragedy.
It was January 28, 1986. I was in the seventh grade. I was leaving Social Studies and heading to Ms. Fitzsimmons Language Arts class. The bell had rung and I went to my locker to switch out my books. I opened my locker door and this little kid named Jon who’s locker was next to mine walked up. As he opened his locker, he looked to me and exclaimed that the Shuttle just blew up. I thought he was joking. Being a nerd, I knew the Shuttle was launching that morning and I thought Jon was just being an asshole. I told him to suck it and stop dicking around. He swore he was telling the truth. I slammed my locker and said “whatever!”. I walked into my Language Arts class and sat down. Most of the kids were buzzing about something. Ms. Fitzsimmons walked into the room and told everyone that we would be going to the Library to watch the news. As we strolled into the Library in single file, we were instructed to find a seat, there were chairs but most of us sat in the floor. The TV was already on and footage was playing from Cape Canaveral. Before I knew any details, they were replaying the iconic explosion and the two booster rockers zooming off in opposite directions. I couldn’t believe it. I didn’t want to believe it. I was literally in shock. How could the fucking shuttle blow up? It was like it was some scene out of some low budget sci-fi flick. I sat in that Library for another 45 minutes in shock. I didn’t admit it back then but tears ran down my cheek.
The Shuttle program was very personal to me at that time. With my Grandmother living in Alamogordo, I had traveled to International Space Hall of Fame. I had the Shuttle toy, both the version on the 747 transport and the wone with External Fuel Tank and Separate Rocket Boosters. I thought it incredibly cool that we could launch this thing into space and it could glide back to Earth and land like a plane.
In March 1982, the Space Shuttle Columbia STS-3 was having trouble landing at its normal landing site at Edwards Air Force Base in California. The shuttle couldn’t remain in space any longer. Edwards was unsuitable due to weather and an alternate site was needed. White Sands Missile Range was found to be an adequate landing site. This was quite exciting. White Sands was only 30 miles from Alamogordo. I was visiting my Grandmother that week. I don’t recall why unless it was Spring Break. I do remember that week that there was many events going on up at the Space Hall. According to the mission leaders, the shuttle was going to enter the landing window some where over New Mexico, glide over Alamogordo and the Space Hall, making a circle and then landing at White Sands. The Space Hall of Fame had many promotions of how they could celebrate this historic event. The was one idea that Shuttle fans would hold tiny little mirrors and reflect a “hello” message to the Shuttle crew. I still have a picture of my Grandmother and I posing with the tiny mirrors up at the Space Hall of Fame. Yet, this little gimmick was nixed because the thought the reflecting light would cause a possible dangerous distraction to the Shuttle pilots.
For the days leading up to the landing at White Sands, my Grandmother clipped newspaper articles and photos from the local newspaper. Before I knew it she had cut dozens out of the paper. We added them to the dozens she had cut from the newspaper over the last couple years. We had so many now that I started a scrap book in an old photo album. I still have that Scrapbook. I cherish it as I remember my Grandmother taking the time to cut the articles and helped me organize them. Even after the Shuttle landed, she continued to cut the articles. The scrapbook grew. We went back to the Space Hall of Fame and bought some cool Shuttle Sticker to decorate the cover.
There was also an art contest. I can’t recall if it was sponsored by the Space Hall or if it was done by the local library or something. But I drew a drawing of the shuttle landing at White Sands. I even included the White Sands dunes and Yucca plants. I didn’t win anything but a “thank you” for participating. And like the scrap book, I kept the drawing. My mother just recently returned it to me with some other art pieces I had done when I was in grade school.
The days leading up to the landing felt like weeks but I know it was only a few days. I remember watching jets fly over my Grandmothers house. I swore I heard the sonic boom of the Shuttle slowing down over Alamogordo. I searched the sky looking for the white glider. I never physically saw it above her house. But I ran inside and watched the landing live on the small TV inside my Grandmother’s apartment. It was so fucking cool that the Space Shuttle was landing in New Mexico. Before I thought nothing important happened in New Mexico but on that day, something did.
Over the next few weeks, we’d tell Shuttle jokes like: “What did the captain say just before the Shuttle exploded? – What’s this little button do!” “What color were the Shuttle Pilot’s eyes? Blue, one Blew that way and one Blew that way.” “How many astronauts can you fit into a car? Two in the front, two in the back and seven in the ash tray.” We thought they were incredibly funny. Now, it just sounds sick and shit. I have grown incredible respect for those brave souls. America wouldn’t lose any astronauts again for another 17 years. Again we’d lose a Shuttle. One we lost on launch. One we lost on its return. It is so ironic it doesn’t feel like it happened by chance. But either way, I felt great sadness on those days. I look to the future of this year as the Shuttle program and last three shuttles fly their final flights and are retired. I pray to God they crew and ships are kept safe.
We will always remember Shuttle Challenger. Jan 28, 1986 – Jan 28, 2011!
