Challenger explodes-January 28, 1986

[Matthew Osborne]

I was in fourth grade, and we were actually not watching the shuttle launch in our class.  It was just a normal day at school, but then the receptionist from the school office came over the PA system and announced that there was an accident with the space shuttle, but little more (at least that's all I remember).  I didn't find out until I got home from school that evening exactly what happened, and the magnitude of it.  A day or so later, they announced a moment of silence over the PA system at school for the space shuttle disaster...

                                                                                            Matt Osborne
                                                                                            Rotterdam, NY



________________________________
 From: Ted Larsen <tlmedia@triad.rr.com>
To: Ted Larsen <tlmedia@triad.rr.com> 
Sent: Saturday, January 28, 2012 7:01 AM
Subject: Fw: Challenger explodes-January 28, 1986
 
THIS DAY IN HISTORY DAILY EMAILThis was the worst day in my life as a radio news anchor. I went on the air at 11:30 and did the usual blah, blah, fill until the launch.There was monitor in the news booth so we could see what our TV station was airing. I could also hear the TV audio in my headphones.

When it blasted off I noticed all of the ice falling off the booster rockets and saying "something doesn't look right." Then the explosion came and I knew this was a tragedy.

The news director said she wanted me to stay with the story all afternoon. I repeatedly had to watch the whole launch/explosion sequence over and over and say ,"If you are just joining us...".

By 6pm I was exhausted and an emotional wreck.

To this day I can't watch the explosion on anniversary days such as this.

I'm curious to know were you were and what you were doing at the time?  

      January 28: 1986: Challenger explodes 

      At 11:38 a.m. EST, on January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, and Christa McAuliffe is on her way to becoming the first ordinary U.S. civilian to travel into space...  
    
    

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