Instapundit noted that the Apollo 1 astronauts were killed 42 years ago today (January 27, 1967). America's manned spaceflight started when I was in junior high school. We knew the names of all the astronauts and watched the launches and recoveries during class. I never thought anything bad would happen to America's space pioneers. There was that anxious period when Scott Carpenter's space capsule splashed down off target and the ship was hustling to get to him. But so many things went so right for so long ...
There was something very square and all-American about Ed White, the first American to walk in space. He was my favorite astronaut. I can still remember where I was when I heard the awful news about the launchpad fire that killed Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee.
There are three very tragic anniversaries grouped together.
Friday, January 27, 1967, the fire that killed the Apollo 1 crew.
Tuesday, January 28, 1986, the disintegration of the space shuttle Challenger, with seven dead.
Saturday, February 1, 2003, the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia, with seven dead.
Lost in space. Remembered on earth.
There was something very square and all-American about Ed White, the first American to walk in space. He was my favorite astronaut. I can still remember where I was when I heard the awful news about the launchpad fire that killed Ed White, Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee.
There are three very tragic anniversaries grouped together.
Friday, January 27, 1967, the fire that killed the Apollo 1 crew.
Tuesday, January 28, 1986, the disintegration of the space shuttle Challenger, with seven dead.
Saturday, February 1, 2003, the explosion of the space shuttle Columbia, with seven dead.
Lost in space. Remembered on earth.