The Challenger

Today is the 20th anniversery of the Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster, which was, until 9/11, considered the "JFK" moment of our generation. Do you remember where you were when you heard that it happened? Do you remember what you were doing?

I was in Miss Rasband's third grade class. Miss Winamore, the PE teacher, abruptly came into our room, interrupting whatever lesson we were having, and said, breathlessly, "The space shuttle blew up. It's on the TV." Then she left, to tell the next classroom and teacher. Miss Rasband stopped the lesson and turned on the classroom TV, and we watched, again and again, the big fireball in the sky.

I'm sure we didn't spend TOO much time on it, because we were only eight years old, and our attention span was short for national events. I really don't remember anything else about school that day. I do remember that it was my cousin Gabrielle's birthday, and it was raining.

There are a lot of news articles about the Challenger today. I found this one, about seven myths of the Challenger disaster, especially interesting.