It was today in 1986 that space shuttle Challenger exploded just 72 seconds after liftoff. The shock of the then single worst disaster in NASA's history would last for years, halting future shuttle flights and leading many Americans to question the worthiness of manned spaceflight. In a terrible irony, the disaster befell a launch that many Americans had been eagerly anticipating thanks to the inclusion of teacher-astronaut Christa McAuliffe.
The move of including a teacher as an astronaut on a shuttle flight was the culmination of a NASA program designed to get children all across the country interested in space exploration. Many teachers entered the contest, but only McAuliffe was selected to train with NASA's best and then actually fly aboard a space shuttle. Because of the publicity over the teacher in space program, the eyes of the nation were, literally, on Challenger as it rose into the Florida sky, only to explode, killing all 7 astronauts aboard.
That was 25 years ago today.
Right now, there can be a similar waning when it comes to enthusiasm for space. Right now, there are only three shuttle flights remaining, after which America will no longer be able to launch its own astronauts into space. This sobering fact coupled with the lack of a long-range plan for NASA, really makes it appear as though Americans' interest in space is waning.
However, that cannot be further from the truth, at least when it comes to ground-based space activities. Right here in the Cleveland area, we have the NASA center at the Great lakes Science Center, observatories at Baldwin Wallace and Oberlin colleges, and local astronomy clubs like the Black River Astronomical Society, Cleveland Astronomical Society, and the Chagrin Valley Astronomical Society among others.
Yes, America's future in space may be uncertain, but the enthusiasm remains, provided you know where to look.
For more info:
Space.com
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