Never Forget! Remembering the Challenger Shuttle – 40 Years Later

January 29, 2026

Remembering Challenger Shuttle

Today marks the fourth decade anniversary of the absolutely tragic Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. . .

Space Shuttle Challenger

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Space Shuttle Challenger Lifts Off courtesy of Openverse

A prayer and a moment of silence…

A prayer:

Dear God,
Heavenly Father, we come before You today with heavy hearts, contemplating the valiant individuals who lost their lives in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. We offer our prayers to the families and friends of the crew, hoping to bring them comfort and strength even now. May the memories of these courageous souls persist in our hearts, acting as a testament to the spirit of exploration and the pursuit of knowledge. Guide us, O Lord, as we seek to explore the universe, and may their sacrifice inspire us to strive for excellence and emphasize safety in all our endeavors.
Amen.

The Challenger Crew 30 Years On. courtesy of Openverse

Shuttle Challenger STS-51-L
Launch mass: 268,500 lbs
Launch date: January 28, 1986
Crew size: 7
Orbits completed: Failed to achieve orbit; (96 planned)
Apogee altitude: 295.0 km
Members: Dick Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis, Christa McAuliffe

The disaster of the STS-51-L I remember quite while watching it go up on that winter morning, just after getting through celebrating a victory of the Chicago Bears winning the Super Bowl in the same week. I was watching on live television, and I remember seeing the crew pass in front of the camera one last time. Minutes later it all seemed, all systems go, and the rocket took off. I am still absolutely devastated and still with tears in my eyes all these decades later, at the shocking turn of event. I remember a comment from a newscaster talking about Payload Specialist McAulliffe how it was going to be the first American teacher in space. Even the announcers all had a problem getting the report of it across without a lump in their throat. This event changed the future aeronautics program and created a serious backlog for the whole program with years of delays. My prayers 🙏 go to all seven crew members and their families. The persons gave their lives for our country and for the good of mankind, and will be remembered forever…