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Challenger, Columbia Wreckage On Public Display For First Time

Posted by samzenpus on from the have-a-look dept.

An anonymous reader writes: A new exhibit at Kennedy Space Center is letting the public see wreckage from the Challenger and Columbia shuttles after keeping it from view for decades. Two pieces of debris from each lost shuttle and personal reminders of the astronauts killed in the flights will be on display. The AP reports: " NASA's intent is to show how the astronauts lived, rather than how they died. As such, there are no pictures in the 'Forever Remembered' exhibit of Challenger breaking apart in the Florida sky nearly 30 years ago or Columbia debris raining down on Texas 12 years ago. Since the tragic re-entry, Columbia's scorched remains have been stashed in off-limits offices at the space center. But NASA had to pry open the underground tomb housing Challenger's pieces — a pair of abandoned missile silos at neighboring Cape Canaveral Air Force Station — to retrieve the section of fuselage now on display."

42 comments

  1. RIP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Kalpana Chawla

    1. Re:RIP by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Yeah, the H1-B astronaut. I guess they couldn't find qualified Americans.

    2. Re:RIP by K.+S.+Kyosuke · · Score: 1

      Once they looked at you, it was the last straw for them and they went straight abroad lest they be forced to endure such disappointment again.

      --
      Ezekiel 23:20
  2. Rest in Peace, Brave Souls by A10Mechanic · · Score: 3, Insightful

    I too like to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the quest for scientific achievement, but I have no desire to go look at the coffin. I'd rather watch a nice Imax movie of a shuttle floating over the horizon.

    1. Re:Rest in Peace, Brave Souls by MobSwatter · · Score: 1, Interesting

      I too like to remember those who have given the ultimate sacrifice in the quest for scientific achievement, but I have no desire to go look at the coffin. I'd rather watch a nice Imax movie of a shuttle floating over the horizon.

      Plenty of sacrifice went on before the shuttle came into the picture. The original JFK space program never included a really big gas can with a glider strapped to it. Interesting idea if not an excellent engineering feat but it never included efficiency so it had to carry a lot of fuel to get up there on a fully automated launch and structurally was only designed for a glide style descent into the atmosphere which didn't give a lot of choices in landing it. JFK's short list guys was better.

    2. Re:Rest in Peace, Brave Souls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Has management fuckwaddery gone off scale high again? Can someone with a different viewpoint explain why dignity and decorum have taken a back seat to goulish fascination with the macabre? At least I am old enough so I might die before this tucked up generation comes to fruition. Fuck it.

    3. Re:Rest in Peace, Brave Souls by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      My dad (and probably a lot of other dad's) worked at the Johnson Space Center, and left when the shuttle program was already underway. Basically, it would have met most of its original goals, before they pandered to every "good sounding" interest in the chase for dollars. It became a bloated, extra large parody of what it was.

      If it was smaller, it could have flown more. It also wouldn't have the gas can which caused problems. It would have been cheaper to launch. It also wouldn't have needed segmented solid rocket boosters. Basically, it would have been the promise of "a space shuttle" instead of a "space greyhound bus".

    4. Re:Rest in Peace, Brave Souls by operagost · · Score: 1

      If the shuttle program included a "gas can with a glider strapped to it", then the Apollo program was a tin can with a stack of gas cans under it. The comparison still doesn't work, because your "glider" had main engines of its own. It just didn't need or use them in the landing. I don't understand why you think a reentry vehicle that had to drop in the ocean on parachutes is somehow better than one that can land on wheels.

      --

      Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
    5. Re:Rest in Peace, Brave Souls by MobSwatter · · Score: 2

      The original JFK space program was aircraft style access to space and the last building block on that segment never made it any further than the SR-71 in 1964. I know, my grandfather was a short list guy.

      Their goal was to achieve 25,000 KMPH, which is escape velocity in the stratosphere. Let me tell you where I get my insight on this:

      My grandmother on my mother's side: Senior statistician on the X-15, worlds first variable thrust rocket.

      My great uncle Jack (Radar Man) on my father's side: CIA SR, OXCART was compartmentalized within CIA SR, AQM-60 Kingfisher, A-12, U2, YF-12A/B, SR-71, D-21 and more.

      My grandfather on my father's side, JFK space program short list, 33rd degree Scottish rite freemason, the one that was lost and why none of the other short list guys would come forward on JFK's space program.

      In 1992 I met my great uncle Jack, he lived on Warpath Ln in north woods Wisconsin, throughout my upbringing I had been told only that he was OSS when it became CIA in 1947 and in that year was present on a particularly famous New Mexico gig. While staying at his place as my family was vacationing and had travelled across the country to see other relatives, I was told by my father that my uncle wanted to tell me something. We entered into his office and my father proceeded to tell him that he had told me nothing. My great Uncle stated that "It is okay, they have already retracted DET1", my great uncle then proceeds to tell my father to leave the room. He then stated to me that, "Strategic Reconnaissance was my baby, and it had to be cancelled not because they cut funding, but because of the way they did it and that involved your grandfather. I am %99.9 certain that those people killed Kennedy". From what I understand the JFK shooters were discovered to have met in the Cal-Neva on north shore Tahoe. I was a bit taken back by this as I had just been told my family was involved in building the prototype of my favorite aircraft and when I exited the room my father had been seated and with his fingers in his ears. He took notice to me and then stated that "You have been read in". He later clarified to me that DET1 was detachment 1 based out of Okinawa. During our stay our there we had some small talk about it as he seemingly did not think I had absorbed what he had told me. He stated at another point that the SR-71 was a building block to my grandfather and on another occasion while in his truck coming back from town told me that "he had gotten my grandfather killed", not intentionally but he seemed to carry guilt over it. I asked him "did they steal anything?" and he mentioned the image sensors mentioned a figure in the millions of dollars range and I said "well, there you go". From what I can put together on it my grandfather was on fund raiser for Children's Hospital in Reno, NV and had asked to wire money secretly and was directed to north shore Tahoe. He wired the money and was involved in a fatal plane crash that killed both my grandparents in 1964 and the money sent never made it as the USAF had to purchase the image sensors and this is what was considered to be a breach of a program run in absolute secrecy. All of this happened prior to my being born in 1967 and I was never told anything about it really other than bits and pieces here and there and was raised in south Tahoe and my father never knew what I had confirmed to me by my great uncle as he was sent out of the room. Two years ago I lost my father and noted circumstances very questionable and incidents are related through a setup on a court case and some Sherriff's getting burned over accusations of women being raped in the county jail that were present in the hospital in Reno the day we had to unplug my father from life support after having a stroke. Needless to say the gloves came off, I am back up here in Tahoe and I brought hell with me.

      So my insight into it tells me the JFK space program never went any further than what was developed in 1964 because the short list guys for the space program would not come forward and appear to have been building much cooler stuff than what we saw with the space shuttle, Being the US doesn't really have a space program anymore I'd say the way things went was certainly the for the worse.

  3. has it really been nearly thirty years? by ihtoit · · Score: 3, Interesting

    I remember that day as vividly as if it were yesterday, and how I cried for the Challenger Seven.

    --
    Political debates have me rolling my eyes so much I think I got optical whiplash. I should sue. - Foamy The Squirrel
    1. Re:has it really been nearly thirty years? by PopeRatzo · · Score: 2

      I remember that day as vividly as if it were yesterday

      On Venus, it was only a few weeks ago.

      --
      You are welcome on my lawn.
    2. Re:has it really been nearly thirty years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have Aspergers... I find your shameless emotional outbursts alien and impossible to relate with. How are these seven people special in any way that distinguishes them from the collateral damage killed in a drone strike(based on faulty intel) or so many infants killed by malaria infected mosquitoes.

      Is human life worth more when accompanied by pomp and circumstance/television cameras/CNN headlines?

    3. Re: has it really been nearly thirty years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      No, you don't. Asperger does not exist. You're just a retard like anyone who self-diagnosed themselves over the internet with a condition that does not exist but makes them feel special. Call yourself for what you are: a retard.

    4. Re:has it really been nearly thirty years? by dotancohen · · Score: 5, Insightful

      I remember that day as vividly as if it were yesterday, and how I cried for the Challenger Seven.

      I was nine years old at the time, and I saw the smoke trail with the two SRB trails distinctively rising from the round BOOM cloud. I had written to NASA only a short time earlier, expressing my interest in becoming an astronaut. I still have the letter that I received back, shortly after the accident.

      You know what? I've cried a lot since then. We've had rocket attacks on my city, I've had friends killed on the road, by sniper, and by their own bad habits. I've come close two times that I remember vividly, once while my wife was pregnant with our first. Those fourteen brave men and women who were lost in the name of exploration deserve our respect, but not our tears. They knew what they were doing. They did it anyway. Cry over people who die young for no reason other than "I hate you" or "I'm stupid". Don't cry over the elderly who die, and don't cry over the brave who took their chance. Celebrate them instead.

      --
      It is dangerous to be right when the government is wrong.
    5. Re: has it really been nearly thirty years? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I have Aspergers too. My ability to interact with other people socially is definitely retarded, so I'm fine with that moniker. You, however, are ignorant if you think that aspbergers/autism doesn't exist.
       

    6. Re:has it really been nearly thirty years? by BlueGMan · · Score: 1

      We were off the coast of Jacksonville, FL doing engineering drills on the USS Koelsch (FF-1043) when the disaster happened. I remember watching a snowy picture of the launch on the mess decks.. Soon after we were "vectored" to the area off the coast of Canaveral and by using Helo's and smoke floats, we proceeded to collect the floating debris using our Captain's Gig and Whaleboat. I remember when that piece (the one on display) was brought on board. In total, we collected nearly 2500 LBS of debris from the disaster, and in the dark of night, pulled into Canaveral and unloaded our cargo. Very sad day.

      --
      "The world is moving so fast these days that the man who says it can't be done is generally interrupted by someone doing
  4. Number 3,393,327 asks: has it really been...... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    You MUST be new here. Welcome.

    1. Re:Number 3,393,327 asks: has it really been...... by sound+vision · · Score: 1

      Yeah, there's no existence prior to Slashdot registration.

    2. Re:Number 3,393,327 asks: has it really been...... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What if my parents registered for me before my birth???

  5. Re:Sucks to see the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They know their wealthy corporations would be flood with even more cash to build replacements. Fortunately, that has not happened

    Endeavour was built to replace Challenger, dickhead.

  6. Re:KA-BOOM! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It'd be nice if NBC could afford to hire a competent web developer who understands that images can be displayed without the need for JavaScript.

  7. Re: Oh, The Humanity!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Insightful

    Eat a gun.

  8. Re:Oh, The Humanity!!! by Foobar+of+Borg · · Score: 1, Insightful
    Hhhmmmm.... Already modded down and told to "eat a gun" for what should have been understood as an obvious parody of conspiracy theorists, complete with ALL CAPS AND EXCLAMATION POINTS!!!

    I guess Poe's Law is still very much in effect.

    --
    Similar to the upcoming US election results
  9. Re:Oh, The Humanity!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    That or it was more depressing than humorous. Those people need help.

  10. Re:Oh, The Humanity!!! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Your deeply sophisticated satire is hidden under an a healthy dose of purposely worded, inflammatory imagery. It's rather well done, but are you really complaining about the responses you were begging for?
      Oh crap, I've just been trolled as well. You sir, are gooooood.

  11. Re:Sucks to see the Republicans... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Guess you went to a special school. Democrats who wanted slavery tried to rebel and leave the Union. And lets see, Democrats were in charge for WW1. Democrats were in charge for the WHOLE DECADE before WW2. So I guess you proven nothing. Democrats love to have money spent in their districts. Ever wonder why they build rockets in Missiissippi and their is a Space Center in Texas? Democrats in Washington.

  12. Re:Oh, The Humanity!!! by Maritz · · Score: 1

    The problem with this as satire is you've got the likes of Richard Hoagland out there. And the stuff he believes is twenty fucking times crazier than *any* of that. I wonder has anyone ever asked him to point out a part of the solar system that is NOT a secret fucking alien base (aka a "pixel")

    --
    I do not want your cheap brainburning drugs. They are useless for work. And I am a working man today.
  13. Re:NASA lies; how can one ever trust a liar again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    How the fuck can the previous post be modded anything higher than 1? Such useless wrong stuff.

  14. Re:Sucks to see the Republicans... by Talderas · · Score: 1

    deciding to make WWI worse and deciding to corner Japan into having to fight back.

    Woodrow Wilson (a democrat) was President when the US went to war in WW1. He was also one of the people that decided to go for more punitive measures against Germany during the peace treaty. Republicans did control the Senate and did block ratification of the League of Nations.

    Presumably you're referencing the Japanese being backed into a corner prior to Pearl Harbor. I would like to note that the President at this time was Franklin D. Roosevelt (a democrat) while the Democrats held majorities in both the House and Senate since 1933 when FDR was elected.

    --
    "Lack of speed can be overcome. In the worst case by patience." --Znork
  15. Re:NASA lies; how can one ever trust a liar again? by operagost · · Score: 1

    Thanks for the laugh. I needed it on Monday morning.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  16. Re:Sucks to see the Republicans... by operagost · · Score: 1

    To add to what Talderas said, as far as the Civil war, seven states seceded before Lincoln even took office. They seized federal properties before he even had the authority to do anything. Buchanan, a Democrat, was President at the time.

    --

    Gamingmuseum.com: Give your 3D accelerator a rest.
  17. Re:NASA lies; how can one ever trust a liar again? by neo-mkrey · · Score: 1

    Occam's razor tells me you are either a troll or a nut-job.

  18. Re:NASA lies; how can one ever trust a liar again? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    they got enough feedback that it was ridiculous and she cut her hair short (in zero-G? There must have been hair everywhere!).

    Because attaching a vacuum to a set of clippers is beyond preposterous.

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2HnWG19CFDE