Challenger’s sacrifice will never be forgotten

Twenty-five years ago at 10:38 a.m., the space shuttle Challenger lifted off from the launch pad. Seven men and women were preparing to do what only a handful of people in the entire world have been able to achieve — becoming an astronaut.

Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Judith Resnik, Ellison Onizuka, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis and Sharon McAuliffe died that day, trying to explore past Earth’s boundaries.

That day people around the world mourned the Challenger Seven together, remembering that nothing great ever comes easily. They were brave people assigned an incredible task, and that sacrifice should never be forgotten.

The tragedy struck especially close to home for Houston. In the months that followed, the Rogers Commission, under the order of President Ronald Reagan, pieced together every event that led up to the Challenger’s demise.

It was a tough time for the NASA community, as all shuttle activity was shut down for 32 months.

Fortunately, NASA was able to come back from the accident, and continues to push the limits of what science can achieve.

However, now NASA faces a crisis of a different nature — budget cuts. America’s once-proud space exploration is in its twilight stage; soon, the US will send men and women into space no more.

In Reagan’s eulogy to the seven astronauts, he said, “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.”

Now it seems the space program is in danger of being just another casualty in the budget crisis. So today at 10:38 take a moment to reflect on what great heights the US — and the world — has achieved through our pursuit of greatness. And take a moment to remember the Challenger Seven.