We remember mission STS-51-L, the last flight of Space Shuttle Challenger…

Challenger Launch on STS-7

Front row: Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair; Back Row: Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik

Front row: Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair; Back Row: Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik.

Where were you? Please share your memory…

I was 7-years-old, and likely in school that day. I remember the talk about the “Teacher in Space” and all the buzz that many of the nations schools had about this wonderful program. But at such a young age for the life of me I can’t recall if we actually watched the launch in school that day or not; or if we simply received word that something was wrong.

Share your thoughts, what do you remember, and how old where you?

Some Shuttle Facts:

  • The Orbiter is 133-feet tall and it’s wingspan is 78-feet across.
  • It has 2 solid rocket boosters, 3 main engines, 2 orbital thrusters.
  • Each solid rocket boosters contain 1 million pounds of propellant and each provides 1,315 tons of thrust (at sea level)… They burn for a total of 2 minutes and 2 seconds.
  • The Main engines utilize 603 tons of liquid oxygen and 101 tons of liquid hydrogen in the external tank. Each provides 170 tons of thrust (at sea level)… They burn for a total of 8 minutes. Maneuvering system engines provide 2.7 tons of thrust.
  • Hottest skin temperature on re-entry 1,650 degrees Celsius, (thats 3000 degrees Fahrenheit)!!!
  • Average shuttle speed to launch to orbit is 25,000 miles per-hour; Average shuttle speed in orbit is 17,000 miles per-hour.
  • The shuttles nick-name on re-entry has been called “The Flying Brick“… Because the shuttle it self actually can not fly, it’s a glider.