There You'll Be: STS-51-L Challenger Tribute

Just one day after the 19th anniversary of the Apollo 1 fire, millions watched as Space Shuttle Challenger exploded before our eyes. The cold weather had frozen the solid rocket boosters' rubber O-rings, which subsequently failed to seal the aft field joint and caused a plume leakage. This leak of hot gases breached the external tank and blew the shuttle.

It is believed the crew survived the initial explosion, as the shuttle's crew compartment remained intact long after the blast. But of course this section was without parachutes and so there was nothing to save the crew when they hit the water at high speeds.

I think a lot of people remember STS-51-L more than they remember Apollo 1 because this flight carried the first civilian teacher in space, Shannon Christa McAuliffe. Also, like the Columbia disaster, Challenger's demise happened right before our eyes on live television. The Apollo 1 fire happened behind closed doors.

I can understand people remembering the two fatal shuttle flights more for those reasons, but it is still upsetting to see one fatality overshadowed by another. All seventeen astronauts from each mission, Apollo 1, Challenger and Colmbia, should be remembered equally.

Making sure that no astronaut is left behind, we dedicate this video to the fallen astronauts of Space Shuttle Challenger.

RIP
Francis Richard "Dick" Scobee
Michael John Smith
Ellison Shoji Onizuka
Judith Arlene Resnik
Ronald Ervin McNair
Gregory Bruce Jarvis
Sharon Christa Corrigan McAuliffe

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[stbays]

I remember the day the Challenger exploded still. I was a child. The entire school had gathered around the TVs to watch and we saw it explode live. I still remember how I felt as I still feel it every time I think about that day.

Great tribute video Jarrah. Definately 5 star worthy.

[MrRafven]

Best tribute i ever seen! Done with brains and empathy, well done thx!

[GR8TM4N]

The worst thing about this tragedy is that it could have been easily avoided ...

[hawgtop]

It's been 25 years, and it still hurts.Dick, Mike Ellison, Ron, Judy, Greg and Christa will never be forgotten. i think of them even today. the family of all the crew members will always be special to me.the kids are all grown up and seem to be doing well. god bless them all.

[Stingray4]

I agree. All three Space disasters need to be remembered equilly. But Apollo 1. Nasa wants to forget due to being thier mistake. "Don't pump 100% O2 into a enclosed space with electronics.

[Sunflower7602]

Wonderful Tribute!! It brought back some memories for me. I was in the 5th grade when the challenger explosed. We were so upset. Thank you for sharing this tribute

[stbays]

@BlisterHiker As for "from his point of view", it means what it looks like. Everything is about perspective and while I think Jarrah is incorrect, I don't think he's lying.  He's just telling things from his incorrect perspective.

Consider a man who is taught all his life that the moon is alive and watching us. He'd think you were crazy if you told him it was just an inanimate object circling our planet.

I do wish I could correct Jarrah's perspective, but that's nearly impossible to do.

[stbays]

@BlisterHiker If you're going to think badly of me for being friends with Jarrah, I can't do anything at all. I've made it clear I don't share his views on the Moon Landings or any other CTs. I just recognize a man is a complete sum of everything he does, not just those which you don't like. In this, Jarrah has other things he does. I just wish he'd get to them instead of making so many defaming videos.

[stbays]

@BlisterHiker I take a whole person, rather then just a single thing or two about them when I decide what I think about them. It just so happens there is another side to Jarrah besides his bashing of the Moon landing. He and I share a love of the japanese animated films and tv shows. Particularly one called Ranma 1/2. He's been using his connections to create series of projects to help spark interested in the series again.

[BlisterHiker]

@stbays >

How can you say things like that? Forgive me, I'm changing my opinion about you as well.

Astronauts, engineers, scientists who worked in Apollo program, gave years of their lives. Many marriages were broken as a result of that. People were risking their lives, and some lost them.

It is clear to me that your friend whitejarrah tries to use YT as a platform to launch his future Sibrel-like career of a liar making money with lies. Make sure to purchase all his future videos...

[BlisterHiker]

@stbays

Everyone has right to have opinion. I just can't see how someone like whitejarrah can make such extreme claims?

What kind of credentials does he have? Based on his utter ignorance of science and photography, for example, which is prevalent in his videos, I'm not sure if he graduated from high school...

What does "from his point of view" even mean in English? Do Apollo astronauts and all people who worked so hard in the program deserve a criticism from that ignorant?

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