The Grim Truth About The Challenger's Remains

Explorers off the Florida coast are almost certain to forever be reminded of one of the greatest tragedies in space travel history. They've been finding pieces of the Challenger Space Shuttle for nearly 40 years.

#Challenger #Remains #Space

Voiceover by: Tim Bensch

[GrungeHQ]

What was your initial reaction while watching the Challenger launch?

[jackbarrett]

I had worked midnight's, got up just before the launch. Use to walk out in my back yard and see them go up. This day I was watching and saw the split. Knew right away it wasn't right. Turned on the TV and heard the report. A sad day for America, the space program, the NASA workers and the families of the crew

[sigurdkaputnik]

Some crew members were definetly alive upon impact. Their manual switches for individual oxygen support were in the "on" position. They must have done that after the explosion. The crew cabin was largely intact after the shuttle broke apart according to many documentaries. What killed them was the impact. Their bodies were shattered inside their suits. Flesh and bones. A parachute would have soften the impact and its very likely, some would have survived. The parachute was removed for cost limitations. NASA's recklessness is responsible.

[Neptune]

What’s so grim about that? The grim part is recovering the decomposing remains of the astronauts or pieces of their bodies when the crew cabin impacted the water at 200 mph.

[lastpme]

That is crazy that happened 40 years ago…I still remember being in my high school science class and our teacher told us the shuttle exploded and he was in a state of shock.

[catherineg]

I was shopping with my BFF on the day of the disaster. We lived in Lakeland, Florida., roughly 110 miles from Cape Canaveral. We’d ALWAYS had a “good long-distance “aerial”/“visual” view of launches from the Base. We could CLEARLY SEE every rocket and “Shuttle” with the naked-eye. “Launch Viewings” and “Viewing Parties” were as common as “Hurricane Parties”. But they were VASTLY becoming “boring”. THIS Launch however, was a “Special” one.

Thus, there we were…standing amongst a crowd of customers and employees in the “Electronics Section” of a Major Retail Store watching, as per usual, EVERY SINGLE TELEVISION “tuned-in” to the “Historic” launch. After “counting-down”, “out-loud” with everyone else, my BFF and I ran outside to watch it “live”, as it would quickly “enter into our viewpoint”. We joined the “outside crowd” and SAW the explosion happen in REAL TIME!! (Neither my BFF, NOR ANYONE ELSE “WITH US” realized “what had happened”!!)

I SCREAMED (and I am NOT a “screamer”) “OH MY GOD IT BLEW UP”!!, in a SINGLE “RUN-ON” SENTENCE, as I turned and RUSHED BACK to the “Electronics Section”, trailed by my BFF AND the ENTIRE OUTSIDE CROWD!! There, we were met with an “eerie”, STUNNED SILENCE from the ENTIRE STORE. (The Store Manager had even ordered the incessantly-piped, “in-store, ‘music and advertising’ tape reel” to be TURNED OFF.)

“Some” were vocally sobbing; “some” muttered Prayer’s for the Crew and their families; “some” silently cried so as “not to frighten their children”; “some” covered their mouths and/or faces in horror…Men and male teenagers alike removed their hats “In Honor” with “some”, respectfully “Saluting”, in absentia.

We ALL STOOD…too SHOCKED and HORRIFIED to say a word, before slowly retreating from the Electronics Section, as all but a few, small televisions were “left on” with the volume “SUBSTANTIALLY lowered” to follow the “aftermath coverage” from the Cape…..

No…I’ll NEVER forget “THAT DAY”…😔
RIP, ✌🏻❤️👊🏻 Peace, Love, and Respect…..

[schawnettarobinson]

They were extraordinary. I admire them so much. They chose to live their dreams, and it takes courage and dedication to do so.

[TheAudsti]

The real tragedy is that NASA knew the cold would weaken the O-ring seals and cause them to fail. They were warned and still proceeded.

[nicholaswestley]

The unfortunate truth is that a cold weather launch and a piece of foam cost fourteen lives and that NASA chose to ignore repeated warnings that the astronauts on both Challenger and Columbia were in serious danger.

[Faven]

I never knew that there are still that many missing parts from the shuttle.

[daphneloose]

I remember when this happened. I was 12 and in our middle school
library with my classmates. we watched the shuttle take off and then
explode. we were all in shock after it happened. R.I.P. to everyone
who lost their lives that fateful day in 1986.

[JohnHausser]

Not sure why but I thought the crew instantly died and disintegrated 🥴

The reality was horrific

[kristenbutler]

I remember I was a junior in high school in English class and the news came over the loud speaker. We were all excited about the space shuttle taking off and then we received the tragic news. I remember it like it was yesterday. What a shame that happened to all those people.

[erickriebel]

I SAW THE EXPLOSION.
AT WORK OUTSIDE IN THE PARKING LOT.
THE CREW DIDN'T DIE IN THE EXPLOSION. THEY SURVIVED AND DIED WHEN THEY HIT THE WATER. RIP.

[ziuxfyn]

They were ALIVE all the way down until impact on the ocean.... I heard the flight recorder (black box)... I was there...since the beginning of the operation til the end.

[mikewilensky]

I’ve read most of the astronauts survived the explosion, only to be killed as the shuttle plummeted to earth and splashed into the ocean. So horrible!🙏

[GinaLopez-ibph]

The sad part my whole 6th grade class sat there and watched the shuttle explode during flight myself and classmates were shocked and devastated 😢

[imzhadi]

I was working in Orlando and we heard over the radio there had been an explosion. We all ran outside and saw the cloud and vapor trails, it felt like it was right above us. I remember thinking, "Look at this and remember." Very sad.

[dtvyybd]

It so heartbreaking that 7 Astronauts (including teacher Christina Mc Calleth passed away on this date in 1986.

[PAUL-MH]

Crew were alive the whole way down. They died when the crew cabin hit the water. All the bodies were recovered a few weeks later!