Today is Columbus Day and the holiday is observed on the second Monday in October by a joint resolution in Congress on April 30, 1934, modified in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), has requested the President proclaim the second Monday of October of each year as Columbus Day. In order to mark this federal holiday, Macon Media has included videos, including a documentary and parades by Italian-Americans, and a Presidential Proclamation marking the day and celebrating the discovery of the Americas and the heritage and culture of Italian-Americans.
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A Proclamation on Columbus Day, 2024
Today, we celebrate the proud heritage of Italian Americans in our Nation, whose contributions and character have shaped our country’s soul.
I believe we are the only Nation in the world with a heart and soul that draws from old and new. For some Italian-American families, the stories they share about their ancestors’ lives in this country stretch back generations. They are stories about immigrants who left everything behind to sail across an ocean and chase the American Dream for the hope of a brighter future. They are stories about ancestors who helped build this country and found America’s middle class — and their traditions and recipes still bring joy to their families today. They are stories of Italian-American artists, laborers, lawmakers, and leaders who never gave up on the idea of America. And for many Italian Americans, the story of Christopher Columbus’ voyage crossing the Atlantic from the Spanish port of Palos de la Frontera on behalf of Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand II remains a source of pride. But no matter if their families arrived here centuries ago or only recently, Italian Americans’ courage, strength, and character are woven into the rich tapestry of our country.
For many Italian Americans, the lives of their ancestors in this country were not always easy. In addition to the challenges of starting life in a new land, they also faced discrimination. Columbus Day was founded by President Benjamin Harrison in 1892 in response to the horrific, xenophobic attack that took the lives of 11 Italian Americans the year before. In the face of hate, Italian Americans persisted — advancing our Nation and challenging us to live up to our highest values.
My Administration also recognizes that Italian Americans are a source of strength in our country’s unshakeable alliance, strategic partnership, and deep friendship with Italy. The ties between our countries are founded on our shared values and principles: democracy, freedom, and respect for human rights. Both of our nations take pride in standing with the brave people of Ukraine as they defend themselves against Russia’s illegal aggression.
Today, may we honor the history and heritage of Italian Americans and all that they have done to help realize the full promise of America for generations.
In commemoration of Christopher Columbus’ historic voyage 532 years ago, the Congress, by joint resolution of April 30, 1934, and modified in 1968 (36 U.S.C. 107), as amended, has requested the President proclaim the second Monday of October of each year as “Columbus Day.”
NOW, THEREFORE, I, JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR., President of the United States of America, do hereby proclaim October 14, 2024, as Columbus Day. I direct that the flag of the United States be displayed on all public buildings on the appointed day in honor of our diverse history and all who have contributed to shaping this Nation.
IN WITNESS WHEREOF, I have hereunto set my hand this
eleventh day of October, in the year of our Lord two thousand twenty-four, and of the Independence of the United States of America the two hundred and forty-ninth.
JOSEPH R. BIDEN JR.
More information about Columbus Day is posted below, including videos of Columbus Day Parades from across the nation.
The Real Life Of Christopher Columbus | The Secrets And Lies Of Columbus | Timeline
Christopher Columbus' First Letter After Discovery of America // 1493 Primary Source
Courage and Conviction: The True Story of Christopher Columbus
Courage and Conviction: The True Story of Christopher Columbus is a thorough examination of the life and legacy of the fearless discoverer of America. This film, co-produced by the Knights of Columbus and the National Columbus Education Foundation with narration by Chazz Palminteri premiered nationally on EWTN-TV this Columbus Day Weekend, provides insight into Christopher Columbus' remarkable genius as a sea navigator as well as his deep desire to bring all nations to Christ. Through expert interviews and archival footage, we look at the origins of Columbus Day and the symbolic role that Columbus has for Catholic immigrants, especially Italian Americans. Finally, the film addresses the current indictments against Christopher Columbus with boldness and exposes the motive behind the attacks of revisionist historians. This film shows why Christopher Columbus remains not only a man worthy of admiration, but a noble icon of what it means to be a Catholic and an American.
About the Knights of Columbus
The Knights of Columbus is one of the world's leading fraternal and service organizations, with 2 million members in more than 16,000 parish-based councils. During the past year, Knights around the world donated more than 77 million service hours and $187 million for worthy causes in their communities. The organization also offers extensive life insurance services to members and their families, resulting in more than $114 billion of life insurance in force. Knights of Columbus Asset Advisors offers investment services to individuals and institutions in accord with Catholic social teachings. From helping children in need, to providing wheelchairs for the disabled, to helping stock food banks, to offering top-rated and affordable insurance products to its members, the Knights of Columbus has supported families and communities for more than 138 years.
About the National Columbus Education Foundation
The National Columbus Education Foundation was organized to conduct and distribute research, studies and analysis relating to Christopher Columbus. Comprised of members from all major national Italian-American organizations — Columbus Citizens Foundation, the Italian Sons and Daughters of America (ISDA), the National Italian American Foundation (NIAF), the Order Sons and Daughters of Italy in America (OSDIA), and UNICO National — the Foundation intends to develop policy solutions and proposals to address the preservation of Columbus Day with an emphasis on correcting the false narrative surrounding the famed explorer. For more information, visit www.knowcolumbus.org.
2024 Brooklyn Columbus Day parade celebrating Italian Culture and Heritage in Bay Ridge, Bensonhurst | New York Minute
2024 Westerly-Pawcatuck Columbus Day Parade | 321 Media
Columbus Day Parade 10/12/24 | Cousin Vinny NYC
Columbus Day Parade Morris Park 2024 10/13/24 | Christopher Leon Johnson
Columbus Day Parade 2024 in Providence, Rhode Island | Melody Rhody
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Artist's depiction of the BepiColombo mission, with the Mercury Planetary Orbiter (left) and Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (right)
**UPDATE** The launch was successful. Images and video have been added to the end of the article.
The BepiCoombo space probe will be launched from French Guiana in South America at 9:45 pm tonight. It is a joint mission of the European and Japanese Space Agencies to send a pair of probes to Mercury. After a few gravity assists, the probes are expected to reach Mercury on December 5, 2025.
Live video players are embedded below so you can watch the launch live. They will be replaced with recorded videos after the launch. More information about the mission has been posted below the video players.
ESA Webcast
Ariane Space Webcast
BepiColombo is named after Giuseppe "Bepi" Colombo (1920–1984), a scientist, mathematician, and engineer at the University of Padua, Italy, who first implemented the interplanetary gravity-assist maneuver during the 1974 Mariner 10 mission, a technique now commonly used by planetary probes.
The mission involves three components, which will separate into independent spacecraft upon arrival at Mercury.
•Mercury Transfer Module (MTM) for propulsion, built by ESA
•Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) built by ESA
•Mercury Magnetospheric Orbiter (Mio) built by JAXA
During launch and cruise phase, these three components will be joined together to form the Mercury Cruise System (MCS).
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The newest mission to Mars, MAVEN, will be launching today at 1:28pm EST...provided the weather holds. I have embedded a video player that will show the launch live. I will replace with a recorded video of the launch later today. Below that is some information about the mission, beginning with a PSA by LeVar Burton.
More about the mission below:
MAVEN stands for Mars Atmosphere and Volatile EvolutioN
Mission Briefing: Features on Mars resembling dry riverbeds and the discovery of minerals that form in the presence of water indicate that Mars once had a thicker atmosphere and was warm enough for liquid water to flow on the surface. However, that thick atmosphere was somehow lost to space. Scientists suspect that over millions of years, Mars lost 99% of its atmosphere as the planet’s core cooled and its magnetic field decayed, allowing the solar wind to sweep away most of the water and volatile compounds the atmosphere once contained.
The goal of MAVEN is to determine the history of the loss of atmospheric gases to space, providing answers about Martian climate evolution. By measuring the rate with which the atmosphere is currently escaping to space and gathering enough information about the relevant processes, scientists will be able to infer how the planet's atmosphere evolved over time. MAVEN will have four primary scientific objectives:
•Determine the role that loss of volatiles to space from the Mars atmosphere has played through time.
•Determine the current state of the upper atmosphere, ionosphere, and interactions with the solar wind.
•Determine the current rates of escape of neutral gases and ions to space and the processes controlling them.
•Determine the ratios of stable isotopes in the Martian atmosphere.
MAVEN is expected to reach Mars in September 2014. By then, the Sample Analysis at Mars (SAM) instrument suite on board the Curiosity rover will have made similar surface measurements from Gale crater, which will help guide the interpretation of MAVEN's upper atmosphere measurements. MAVEN's measurements will also provide additional scientific context with which to test models for current methane formation in Mars.
More information can be found on the mission page at NASA.
I am very glad to see Fora TV post this video in the open, and not behind a paywall, so that we can see it in its entirety.
From the video description:
Aerospace entrepreneur, Virgin Galactic spacecraft designer, and founder of aerospace research firm Scaled Composites, Burt Rutan is a bold visionary with a passion for the advancement of technology. Named "Entrepreneur of the Year" by Inc. magazine and one of "The World's 100 Most Influential People" by TIME, Rutan designed the legendary Voyager aircraft -- the first to circle the world nonstop without refueling. He is also responsible for the design of SpaceShipOne, the world's first privately funded spacecraft which, in 2004, became the first private rocket plane ever to put a man into space. Rutan has been profiled by 60 Minutes and featured on the covers of both LIFE and TIME.
At the end of a turbulent 1968, the first manned mission to orbit the moon sent back a message on Christmas Eve that is still a good message for people to reflect upon today, 44 years later.
Apollo 8, the first manned mission to the Moon, entered lunar orbit on Christmas Eve, December 24, 1968. That evening, the astronauts; Commander Frank Borman, Command Module Pilot Jim Lovell, and Lunar Module Pilot William Anders did a live television broadcast from lunar orbit, in which they showed pictures of the Earth and Moon seen from Apollo 8. Lovell said, "The vast loneliness is awe-inspiring and it makes you realize just what you have back there on Earth." They ended the broadcast with the crew taking turns reading from the book of Genesis.
William Anders:
"For all the people on Earth the crew of Apollo 8 has a message we would like to send you". "In the beginning God created the heaven and the earth.
And the earth was without form, and void; and darkness was upon the face of the deep.
And the Spirit of God moved upon the face of the waters. And God said, Let there be light: and there was light.
And God saw the light, that it was good: and God divided the light from the darkness." Jim Lovell: "And God called the light Day, and the darkness he called Night. And the evening and the morning were the first day.
And God said, Let there be a firmament in the midst of the waters, and let it divide the waters from the waters.
And God made the firmament, and divided the waters which were under the firmament from the waters which were above the firmament: and it was so.
And God called the firmament Heaven. And the evening and the morning were the second day." Frank Borman: "And God said, Let the waters under the heavens be gathered together unto one place, and let the dry land appear: and it was so.
And God called the dry land Earth; and the gathering together of the waters called he Seas: and God saw that it was good." Borman then added, "And from the crew of Apollo 8, we close with good night, good luck, a Merry Christmas, and God bless all of you - all of you on the good Earth."
Edge of Space - incredible video touching on space diving, space tourism, and the issues and dangers involved in expanding our possibilities in orbit - for science, industry, and some amazing recreation.
**3.40am** The jump in numbers per Jenny Winder: Exit altitude: 128,100ft; 39,045m Total jump duration: 9'03" Freefall time: 4'20" Freefall distance 119,846ft; 36,529m Max velocity: 833.9mph; 1,342.8km/h; Mach 1.24
**3.02am** Here is a highlight reel from Red Bull of the jump that includes footage from the jumper's perspective:
**3.16pm** Video of the jump...
**2.28pm** Felix has jumped and landed safely. Here is a slideshow of some of the sceenshots I took of the coverage of the event:
In a few hours, Felix Baumgartner will step out of a capsule that is 120,000 feet above the ground and jump.
He is expected to reach 700 mph on his way down, and if all goes well, he will open a parachute and land some five minutes later.
This event may or may not take place this morning, and is dependent on the velocity of the winds aloft. I will replace the live player with a series of recorded videos as soon as they become available and if the jump takes place.
From the website:
Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, will attempt to transcend human limits that have existed for 50 years. Supported by a team of experts Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon and make a free fall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. His attempt to dare atmospheric limits holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers.
The Red Bull Stratos team brings together the world's leading minds in aerospace medicine, engineering, pressure suit development, capsule creation and balloon fabrication. It includes retired United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who holds three of the records Felix will strive to break.
Joe's record jump from 102,800 ft in 1960 was during a time when no one knew if a human could survive a jump from the edge of space. Joe was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and had already taken a balloon to 97,000 feet in Project ManHigh and survived a drogue mishap during a jump from 76,400 feet in Excelsior I. The Excelsior III mission was his 33rd parachute jump.
Although researching extremes was part of the program's goals, setting records wasn't the mission's purpose. Joe ascended in helium balloon launched from the back of a truck. He wore a pressurized suit on the way up in an open, unpressurized gondola. Scientific data captured from Joe's jump was shared with U.S. research personnel for development of the space program. Today Felix and his specialized team hope to take what was learned from Joe's jumps more than 50 years ago and press forward to test the edge of the human envelope.
**1.51pm** The launch has been scrubbed for the day. I'll let you know when they try again.
In a little over two hours, Felix Baumgartner will step out of a capsule that is 120,000 feet above the ground and jump.
He is expected to reach 700 mph on his way down, and if all goes well, he will open a parachute and land some five minutes later.
This event is expected to take place after 8am this morning. I will replace the live player with a series of recorded videos as soon as they become available.
From the website:
Red Bull Stratos, a mission to the edge of space, will attempt to transcend human limits that have existed for 50 years. Supported by a team of experts Felix Baumgartner plans to ascend to 120,000 feet in a stratospheric balloon and make a free fall jump rushing toward earth at supersonic speeds before parachuting to the ground. His attempt to dare atmospheric limits holds the potential to provide valuable medical and scientific research data for future pioneers.
The Red Bull Stratos team brings together the world's leading minds in aerospace medicine, engineering, pressure suit development, capsule creation and balloon fabrication. It includes retired United States Air Force Colonel Joseph Kittinger, who holds three of the records Felix will strive to break.
Joe's record jump from 102,800 ft in 1960 was during a time when no one knew if a human could survive a jump from the edge of space. Joe was a Captain in the U.S. Air Force and had already taken a balloon to 97,000 feet in Project ManHigh and survived a drogue mishap during a jump from 76,400 feet in Excelsior I. The Excelsior III mission was his 33rd parachute jump.
Although researching extremes was part of the program's goals, setting records wasn't the mission's purpose. Joe ascended in helium balloon launched from the back of a truck. He wore a pressurized suit on the way up in an open, unpressurized gondola. Scientific data captured from Joe's jump was shared with U.S. research personnel for development of the space program. Today Felix and his specialized team hope to take what was learned from Joe's jumps more than 50 years ago and press forward to test the edge of the human envelope.
Columbus Day is a public holiday in many parts of the United States that honors the achievements of Christopher Columbus, and for some, celebrates Italian-American heritage.
It was in August, 1492 that Columbus and 90 hopeful crewmen boarded the Niña, Pinta and Santa Maria, and boldly set sail to find a quicker route to the prosperous Chinese trade markets.
Imagine for a minute, embarking on a journey in uncharted waters to unknown lands with no GPS system. In fact, the only navigational tools used by Columbus and his crew were rudimentary at best and used to measure the angle between objects above the ocean such as the stars or the sun.
It was not the treasures of China that Columbus discovered on October 12, but rather the shores of the Bahamas – although an accident, the discovery marked the first intertwining of Europe with the Americas, which led to the establishment of European colonies in the New World. It also proved that our globe was much larger than even Columbus had imagined.
The first Columbus Day celebration on record occurred on October 12, 1792, when a ceremony organized by the Columbian Order was held in New York City honoring the 300th anniversary of his landing in the Bahamas. In 1892, President Benjamin Harrison helped make the holiday official with this proclamation, “recommending to the people the observance in all their localities of the 400th anniversary of the discovery of America…” and describing Columbus as “the pioneer of progress and enlightenment.” In 1971, Columbus Day was designated as the second Monday in October as well as a federal holiday.
It should be noted that controversy surrounding Christopher Columbus, as the ‘first person’ to discover the Americas, has existed since the 18th century. So, while most states celebrate Columbus Day as an official state holiday, others mark it as a ‘Day of Observance’ and two states do not recognize it at all.
San Francisco still claims the oldest continuously existing celebration with the Italian-American community’s annual Columbus Day Parade, established in 1868, while New York boasts the largest. No matter where you live or how you plan to celebrate today, you may want to take a moment to reflect on the courage and adventurous spirit of Columbus and his crew.
A briefing from the History Channel on the story behind the holiday we celebrate today:
A flag raising ceremony in Union County, New Jersey:
And, a Columbus Day Parade that took place last year in a Boston community:
Today marks the 35th anniversary of Voyager 1's launch on the Grand Tour of the outer solar system. It will likely still be going long after humans become extinct. The craft is currently more than 11 billion miles from the sun, or 121.764 AU as I write this article. See where the Voyager spaceraft are now.
The mission objective of the Voyager Interstellar Mission (VIM) is to extend the NASA exploration of the solar system beyond the neighborhood of the outer planets to the outer limits of the Sun's sphere of influence, and possibly beyond. This extended mission is continuing to characterize the outer solar system environment and search for the heliopause boundary, the outer limits of the Sun's magnetic field and outward flow of the solar wind. Penetration of the heliopause boundary between the solar wind and the interstellar medium will allow measurements to be made of the interstellar fields, particles and waves unaffected by the solar wind.
Read more about the Interstellar Mission of the Voyager spacecraft at the NASA webpage.
Here is a Martin-Marietta video of the original mission of the Voyager space probes: The Grand Tour.
See the wiki for more information on this episode.
Here is the latest show from my favorite citizen journalists who have a love and focus on all things space travel, the husband-wife team of Benjamin and Cariann Higginbotham.
If you enjoyed this show, make sure to check out Spacevidcast After Dark. A completely unscripted show that can talk about, well, anything! To view After Dark head over to Spacevidcast.com and open up the 5.13 episode. To view the show you'll need to be an epic subscriber which is just $10.00/mo and helps them continue to produce the show! In addition to the After Dark episodes you also get access to exclusive content! Check it out at www.spacevidcast.com/epic and help keep Spacevidcast going!
**2.54am** Here is video of the descent and landing, and the initial celebration.
These are good times to be living.
**1.48am** Mars Science Lab/Curiosity Rover has safely landed on Mars and a few images have already been transmitted back. Here is one that shows the shadow of Curiosity on Mars:
Shadow of Curiosity (a wonderful metaphor!)
The most advanced robot ever sent to another world is set to land on Aug. 5, 2012 (PDT). Will you be watching? (See video of the launch)
Mars Science Laboratory will deliver the Curiosity rover to the surface of Mars at approximately 10:31 p.m. PDT on Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT and 5:31 a.m. UTC on Aug. 6). Curiosity, carrying laboratory instruments to analyze samples of rocks, soil and atmosphere, will investigate whether Mars has ever offered environmental conditions favorable for microbial life.
NASA TV will broadcast live from mission control at NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, Calif., during Curiosity’s critical entry, descent and landing phase.
Here is a short video explaining what the seven minutes of terror is about:
You can watch the NASA video stream (embedded immediately below) of the event, which is scheduled to start at 11:30pm Eastern Daylight Time, or you can watch it on a player that is further down on the page from SpaceVidCast. The landing (or crash) should take place at 1:31am:
NASA TV
With Mars looming ever larger in front of it, NASA's Mars Science Laboratory spacecraft and its Curiosity rover are in the final stages of preparing for entry, descent and landing on the Red Planet at 10:31 p.m. PDT Aug. 5 (1:31 a.m. EDT Aug. 6). Curiosity remains in good health with all systems operating as expected. Today, the flight team uplinked and confirmed commands to make minor corrections to the spacecraft's navigation reference point parameters. This afternoon, as part of the onboard sequence of autonomous activities leading to the landing, catalyst bed heaters are being turned on to prepare the eight Mars Lander Engines that are part of MSL's descent propulsion system. As of 2:25 p.m. PDT (5:25 p.m. EDT), MSL was approximately 261,000 miles (420,039 kilometers) from Mars, closing in at a little more than 8,000 mph (about 3,600 meters per second).
Gale Crater forms a large natural repository for a lot of Martian geologic history. This ancient impact scar has a diameter of about 150 kilometers (90 miles) and lies close to where the cratered highlands drop off onto the northern lowlands in Elysium. Based on its size and state of preservation, scientists estimate Gale formed 3.8 to 3.5 billion years ago.
What draws scientific interest most is a big mound of layered debris filling about a third of the crater's floor. Wrapping around the crater's central peak, visible at lower right in the image, the mound stands about 5.5 km (3.4 mi) higher than the northern crater floor and about 4.5 km (2.8 mi) above the southern floor. The mound's highest parts even rise somewhat higher than Gale's southern rim.
Also the source of the names of the list of fallen astronauts I have used below.
Exploring a new frontier is a risky, but rewarding endeavor. The men and women who sign up to be astronauts are signing a blank check payable any amount, up to the life of the signer, during the course of their duty.
The following is a tribute to the astronauts who have given their lives in the performance of their duty.
Each January, we honor the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia crews, as well as other members of the NASA family who lost their lives supporting NASA’s mission of exploration. We thank them and their families for their extraordinary sacrifices in the service of our nation.
On this Day of Remembrance, as we remember our fallen heroes with tributes and public ceremonies, I will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery. Across the country, all flags at NASA Headquarters and the NASA centers will be flown at half-mast in their memory.
Space exploration is a difficult and dangerous endeavor. We recognize these pioneers’ sacrifices each day with our ongoing commitment to safety. As an agency, we know the risks inherent in each mission. Ensuring the safety of our employees is our highest priority.
The legacy of those we have lost is our ongoing work and the inspiration of generations of new space explorers. Every day, with each new challenge we overcome and every discovery we make, we honor these remarkable men and women. Please join me in working to fulfill their dreams for the future.
Charles F. Bolden, Jr. NASA Administrator
A tribute to the heroes of Apollo 1
January 27, 1967.
That date doesn't mean anything significant to most Americans. On that day, three men died in the service of our nation as they conducted a routine test on their command capsule. Much has been written about that day and these men. I cannot add anything substantial to what has gone before, so I will just point to what I think were the best attempts to explain what happened, and to remember these men who died on our journey to the Moon.
A video tribute to the crew of Apollo 1.
On January 27, 1967, tragedy struck the Apollo program when a flash fire occurred in command module 012 during a launch pad test of the Apollo/Saturn space vehicle being prepared for the first piloted flight, the AS-204 mission. Three astronauts, Lt. Col. Virgil I. Grissom, a veteran of Mercury and Gemini missions; Lt. Col. Edward H. White, the astronaut who had performed the first United States extravehicular activity during the Gemini program; and Roger B. Chaffee, an astronaut preparing for his first space flight, died in this tragic accident.
A seven-member board, under the direction of the NASA Langley Research Center Director, Dr. Floyd L. Thompson, conducted a comprehensive investigation to pinpoint the cause of the fire. The final report, completed in April 1967 was subsequently submitted to the NASA Administrator. The report presented the results of the investigation and made specific recommendations that led to major design and engineering modifications, and revisions to test planning, test discipline, manufacturing processes and procedures, and quality control. With these changes, the overall safety of the command and service module and the lunar module was increased substantially. The AS-204 mission was redesignated Apollo I in honor of the crew.
This is an audio recording of the actual last moments of the crew of Apollo 1, with commentary and a play by play of the initial accident investigation.
This is a dramatization of the tragic event, as presented during the "From the Earth to the Moon" miniseries on HBO.
For more information on this accident, please visit the following webpages:
The Challenger Accident was different from the Apollo 1 Accident because it happened during the launch, and many people witnessed the explosion. I had stayed home from school in order to watch the launch because they had become so routine, there was no effort made by the school to allow students who were interested to watch them or integrate them into lesson plans.
Apparently, network television had the same idea about spaceflight becoming routine, because they did not cover the launch, and I did not have satellite TV so I couldn't watch it on the NASA Channel or even CNN, which was the only network to carry it live. (This was in the days before broadband Internet). So I was digging through the shortwave radio stations, trying to find one that was covering it when my dad called from work. He told me the shuttle had blown up. I didn't believe him at first because I thought he was teasing me, and he told me to cut the TV on and see. I did, and I saw.
Video courtesy: NASA
NASA documnetary detailing the events surrounding the loss of OV-099, Space Shuttle Challenger, shortly after the launch of the 25th flight of the Space Transportation System, Mission STS-51L, on 28 January, 1986, and the subsequent investigation into the loss of the vehicle and its crew of seven. The investigation shows that the Solid Rocket Booster field joints were of an insufficiently fault-tolerant design and when the vehicle was launched at below-normal temperatures, hot exhaust gasses leaked on ignition, damaging the integrity of the field joint, leading to a breach in the external tank and destruction of the orbiter.
This is a video of the live CNN broadcast of the launch, the only network to carry it live.
This is a live television feed of the accident that was involved in gathering B-Roll from the viewing stand for guests of NASA during the launch, including families of the crew.
Here are the unforgettable words of President Ronald Reagan memorializing the Challenger crew.
Transcript:
We come together today to mourn the loss of seven brave Americans, to share the grief we all feel and, perhaps in that sharing, to find the strength to bear our sorrow and the courage to look for the seeds of hope. Our nation's loss is first a profound personal loss to the family and the friends and loved ones of our shuttle astronauts. To those they have left behind - the mothers, the fathers, the husbands and wives, brothers, sisters, and yes, especially the children - all of America stands beside you in your time of sorrow.
What we say today is only an inadequate expression of what we carry in our hearts. Words pale in the shadow of grief; they seem insufficient even to measure the brave sacrifice of those you loved and we so admired. Their truest testimony will not be in the words we speak, but in the way they led their lives and in the way they lost those lives - with dedication, honor and an unquenchable desire to explore this mysterious and beautiful universe.
The best we can do is remember our seven astronauts - our ChallengerSeven - remember them as they lived, bringing life and love and joy to those who knew them and pride to a nation. They came from all parts of this great country - from South Carolina to Washington State; Ohio to Mohawk, New York; Hawaii to North Carolina to Concord, New Hampshire. They were so different, yet in their mission, their quest, they held so much in common.
We remember Dick Scobee, the commander who spoke the last words we heard from the space shuttle Challenger. He served as a fighter pilot in Vietnam, earning many medals for bravery, and later as a test pilot of advanced aircraft before joining the space program. Danger was a familiar companion to Commander Scobee.
We remember Michael Smith, who earned enough medals as a combat pilot to cover his chest, including the Navy Distinguished Flying Cross, three Air Medals - and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry with Silver Star, in gratitude from a nation that he fought to keep free. We remember Judith Resnik, known as J.R. to her friends, always smiling, always eager to make a contribution, finding beauty in the music she played on her piano in her off-hours. We remember Ellison Onizuka, who, as a child running barefoot through the coffee fields and macadamia groves of Hawaii, dreamed of someday traveling to the Moon. Being an Eagle Scout, he said, had helped him soar to the impressive achievement of his career.
We remember Ronald McNair, who said that he learned perseverance in the cotton fields of South Carolina. His dream was to live aboard the space station, performing experiments and playing his saxophone in the weightlessness of space; Ron, we will miss your saxophone and we will build your space station. We remember Gregory Jarvis. On that ill-fated flight he was carrying with him a flag of his university in Buffalo, New York - a small token he said, to the people who unlocked his future.
We remember Christa McAuliffe, who captured the imagination of the entire nation, inspiring us with her pluck, her restless spirit of discovery; a teacher, not just to her students, but to an entire people, instilling us all with the excitement of this journey we ride into the future.
We will always remember them, these skilled professionals, scientists and adventurers, these artists and teachers and family men and women, and we will cherish each of their stories - stories of triumph and bravery, stories of true American heroes.
On the day of the disaster, our nation held a vigil by our television sets. In one cruel moment, our exhilaration turned to horror; we waited and watched and tried to make sense of what we had seen. That night, I listened to a call-in program on the radio: people of every age spoke of their sadness and the pride they felt in `our astronauts.' Across America, we are reaching out, holding hands, finding comfort in one another.
The sacrifice of your loved ones has stirred the soul of our nation and, through the pain, our hearts have been opened to a profound truth - the future is not free, the story of all human progress is one of a struggle against all odds. We learned again that this America, which Abraham Lincoln called the last best hope of man on Earth, was built on heroism and noble sacrifice. It was built by men and women like our seven star voyagers, who answered a call beyond duty, who gave more than was expected or required, and who gave it with little thought to worldly reward.
We think back to the pioneers of an earlier century, and the sturdy souls who took their families and the belongings and set out into the frontier of the American West. Often, they met with terrible hardship. Along the Oregon Trail you can still see the grave markers of those who fell on the way. But grief only steeled them to the journey ahead.
Today, the frontier is space and the boundaries of human knowledge. Sometimes, when we reach for the stars, we fall short. But we must pick ourselves up again and press on despite the pain. Our nation is indeed fortunate that we can still draw on immense reservoirs of courage, character and fortitude - that we are still blessed with heroes like those of the space shuttle Challenger.
Dick Scobee knew that every launching of a space shuttle is a technological miracle. And he said, if something ever does go wrong, I hope that doesn't mean the end to the space shuttle program. Every family member I talked to asked specifically that we continue the program, that that is what their departed loved one would want above all else. We will not disappoint them.
Today, we promise Dick Scobee and his crew that their dream lives on; that the future they worked so hard to build will become reality. The dedicated men and women of NASA have lost seven members of their family. Still, they too, must forge ahead, with a space program that is effective, safe and efficient, but bold and committed.
Man will continue his conquest of space. To reach out for new goals and ever greater achievements - that is the way we shall commemorate our seven Challenger heroes.
Dick, Mike, Judy, El, Ron, Greg and Christa - your families and your country mourn your passing. We bid you goodbye. We will never forget you. For those who knew you well and loved you, the pain will be deep and enduring. A nation, too, will long feel the loss of her seven sons and daughters, her seven good friends. We can find consolation only in faith, for we know in our hearts that you who flew so high and so proud now make your home beyond the stars, safe in God's promise of eternal life.
May God bless you all and give you comfort in this difficult time.
A performance of the song written by John Denver in tribute to the crew of the Challenger. He was originally considered for the flight and underwent training before a teacher was selected.
I still think it is a good idea to send gifted artists into space so that they might use their talents to share with the rest of humanity what it is like.
Here is a discussion on the findings of the Presidential Commision that was broadcast on satellite TV Worldnet.
For more information on the Challenger accident, please visit the following websites:
TV Coverage of the Challenger Accident (54 videos encompassing several hours of archived live video)
A tribute to the heroes of STS-107 Columbia
The Columbia breakup happened on Saturday, February 1, 2003. It disintegrated over Texas stretching from Trophy Club to Tyler and into parts of Louisiana during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, resulting in the death of all seven crew members, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107. The loss of Columbia was a result of damage sustained during launch when a piece of foam insulation the size of a small briefcase broke off the Space Shuttle external tank (the main propellant tank) under the aerodynamic forces of launch. The debris struck the leading edge of the left wing, damaging the Shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS), which protects it from heat generated with the atmosphere during re-entry. While Columbia was still in orbit, some engineers suspected damage, but NASA managers limited the investigation, on the grounds that little could be done even if problems were found.
NASA's original Shuttle design specifications stated that the external tank was not to shed foam or other debris; as such, strikes upon the Shuttle itself were safety issues that needed to be resolved before a launch was cleared. Launches were often given the go-ahead as engineers came to see the foam shedding and debris strikes as inevitable and unresolvable, with the rationale that they were either not a threat to safety, or an acceptable risk. The majority of Shuttle launches recorded such foam strikes and thermal tile scarring. During re-entry of STS-107, the damaged area allowed the hot gases to penetrate and destroy the internal wing structure, rapidly causing the in-flight breakup of the vehicle. An extensive ground search in parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas recovered crew remains and many vehicle fragments.
Initial NASA TV Coverage of Columbia Accident
Amateur video shot of the final moments of the Columbia
Cockpit video of the momets leading up to the destruction of the Columbia.
US Apache Helicopter crews were on a training mission with foreign pilots on the morning of February 1, 2003. Gun-camera footage picks up the shuttle as it enters the atmosphere over Central Texas. The footage was released a couple of days after the crash. Video is courtesy of Fort Hood and DOD.
An audio podcast discussion accompanied by photos of the Cloumbia breakup and recovery.
Here is a video playlist of live coverage of the accident and immediately thereafter by NASA, CNN and other TV Networks.
For more information regarding the Columbia accident, please visit these websites:
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