Hard to believe it’s been 26 years today but it is. I was in school when I heard. In 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded during its ascent from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members including flight commander Francis R. “Dick” Scobee; pilot Michael J. Smith; Ronald E. McNair; Ellison S. Onizuka; Judith A. Resnik; Gregory B. Jarvis; and schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe; and in the process dashed the Jedi dreams of at least one junior high school student I know. Space travel is not like the movies. It is a miraculous accomplishment. We are your eternal fans, Challenger Crew, for your bravery and sacrifice in mankind’s exploration of the undiscovered country.
