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On 30th anniversary, readers share their memories of space shuttle Challenger disaster

 
All seven members of the crew were killed when the shuttle exploded during launch on Jan. 28, 1986. From front left, are: pilot Michael J. Smith, commander Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, and mission specialist Ronald E. McNair. Rear left are: mission specialist Ellison Onizuka, teacher Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis, and mission specialist Judith Resnik. [NASA via AP]
All seven members of the crew were killed when the shuttle exploded during launch on Jan. 28, 1986. From front left, are: pilot Michael J. Smith, commander Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, and mission specialist Ronald E. McNair. Rear left are: mission specialist Ellison Onizuka, teacher Christa McAuliffe, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis, and mission specialist Judith Resnik. [NASA via AP]
Published Jan. 28, 2016

It's one of those times that is burned into our memories. Like the Kennedy assassination. The attacks on 9/11. On Jan. 28, 1986, right around 11:38 a.m., the space shuttle Challenger lifted off from Cape Canaveral.

Less than a minute and a half into its flight into that perfect blue Florida sky, the shuttle exploded. All seven members of the crew, including the first teacher in space Christa Mcauliffe, were killed in the disaster. We asked on Facebook: Do you remember where you were 30 years ago today? Here are some of the responses:

Do you remember where you were 30 years ago today?Posted by Tampa Bay Times on Thursday, January 28, 2016

Do you remember where you were 30 years ago today?

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Kevin Brown: I remember that day well. I actually saw it happen. You could see the space shuttle launches even from the west coast of Florida if the weather is cooperating. On that day, they sky was blue, not a cloud to be seen, so I decided to go outside and watch the liftoff.

When it exploded, I thought that was odd but I figured that big plume was supposed to happen. As it was breaking apart, I thought that was just the rockets separating, although I thought that was odd as well as that usually doesn't happen until it's much higher.

It wasn't until I went back inside and turned on the TV that I realized I had just witnessed the space shuttle blow up. Then it hit me. A very sad day indeed.

• • •

Nancy Eaton: Home sick from work in Houston, bundled up because it was freezing cold outside. Had watched all the build-up to this launch and felt very fondly about Christa McAuiliffe and her upcoming journey in space. For the first time, I'd taken a personal interest in learning about each of the shuttle astronauts too. This was an era before the Internet, so we had to find all this out by watching television and reading the newspaper. Living in Houston made this somewhat easier because of the Johnson Space Center nearby. I saw the explosion and knew something horrible had happened. The worst part was that the station I watched (CNN?) had the cameras aimed right at Christa's parents for several minutes during after the explosion, and I just cried my eyes out watching them and being so confused about what had just happened to their daughter. It was heartbreaking.

• • •

Carolyn Simpson: I was working in a shop in the lobby of the then Host Hotel at TIA. The news came on the radio and for a second I thought it must be a bad joke. I ran out of my shop and met with the other shopkeepers and we looked out of the huge windows lining the concourse, past the the air control tower, and viewed the smoke trails in the sky. It was a chilling moment. The smoke seemed to linger in the sky forever.

• • •

Mike Ferlita: I was driving north bound through Tampa on 275 between Dale Mabry Hwy and saw an odd trail of smoke in the distant sky. I knew it wasn't something good, but had no idea what it was at the moment.

• • •

Glenn Genereux: Managing a store in the old Eastlake mall in Tampa. A lady came in and said the shuttle blew up. I told her I knew it was launching and she said no it blew up you can see it. I went outside to see all the vapor trails and realized she was right So sad to see it in the sky just knowing there was no good outcome for our astronauts.

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• • •

George Hayduke: Top of "H Bldg" at the old Gibbs High School. I was in Mr. Dedinsky's social studies class. The launch was broadcast on schoolTV. However, as was usual @ Gibbs in 1986, the a/c was out in the building so, Mr. D let us out the window to the balcony. Saw the contrail and explosion cloud in real time. Never forget that day. Senior year.

• • •

Patricia Weaver Chulick: I was at my office, beautiful day blue sky so had a perfect view of it, in St. Petersburg. Knew right away when I saw the big white clouds of smoke something had gone horribly wrong. It hit is all very hard.

• • •

James Dominick Amerosa Jr.: I saw it happen too. I was going to University Mall then to class at USF when I saw it. Thought USF was doing some kind of tests. When I went into Burdine's electronic department the news was on the TVs. So sad.

• • •

Kate Borton: School, 7th grade. Cold day in Florida that day. I just came out of lunch to Geography class and the teacher had the radio on and told us what happened.

• • •

Heather Mingledorff Holley: Watching in our classroom at Roland H. Lewis Elementary School in Tampa. Our little minds were trying to take in what we witnessed while our teachers sobbed.

• • •

Mindy Holland: In the hospital waiting for my son's birth that day. We will always remember his birthday and the sad event that took place that day.

Share your memories of that day 30 years ago below in the comments section, or add them to our Facebook post .

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