What’s Happening:
- NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida paid tribute to the crew members of space shuttle Columbia, as well as other astronauts who have perished in the line of duty, during NASA’s Annual Day of Remembrance. The center’s senior management and guests attended the ceremony at the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Jan. 26, 2023.
- NASA and the world lost seven brave explorers twenty years ago, on Feb. 1, 2003, when shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry. Crew members aboard were Rick D. Husband, mission commander; William C. McCool, pilot; Michael P. Anderson, payload commander; Kalpana Chawla and Laurel B. Clark, mission specialists; and Ilan Ramon, payload specialist from the Israeli Space Agency.
- The ceremony also honored the crew members of Apollo 1 and space shuttle Challenger.
- Immediately following the ceremony, Sheryl Chafee, Astronaut Memorial Foundation (AMF) Board of Directors chairperson, accompanied by Janet Petro and Bob Cabana, placed a wreath in front of the Space Mirror Memorial, followed by one minute of silence. A bell was rung as the names of each fallen astronaut were read. Guests and the general public in attendance were invited to pay their respects by placing flowers on the fence in front of the memorial.
- This year’s ceremony was hosted by the Astronaut Memorial Foundation, which was founded after the shuttle Challenger accident in 1986 to honor the sacrifices of fallen astronauts each year, as well as inspire future generations through hands-on science, technology, engineering, and mathematics learning activities.
- The AMF also built and maintains the Space Mirror Memorial, a 42-foot-high by 50-foot-wide granite monument that displays the names of the fallen astronauts from Apollo 1, shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as others who have lost their lives while on NASA missions or in training. In 1991, the memorial was dedicated as a national memorial by Congress and President George H.W. Bush.
What They’re Saying:
- Kennedy Space Center Director Janet Petro: “In a community that frequently commemorates the milestones and achievements made possible through the teamwork and contributions of so many, today is a different kind of observance, a day to recognize and honor those who lost their lives in pursuit of knowledge, and those losses are heavy.”
- Thad Altman, AMF president and CEO: “We take time to pause and reflect, to remember those who have paid the ultimate sacrifice, but also to inspire us to future human exploration. And to remember all those individuals who made all this possible–engineers, astronauts, administrators. We take this opportunity to reflect on our successes and to be inspired for future missions.”