Why the space program must continue despite tragedy From: Call and Post (Cleveland) | Date: February 12, 2003| Author: | . Provided by ProQuest LLC.Copyright information

Anonymous
Call and Post (Cleveland)
02-12-2003
It's hard to be a witness to tragedy, especially the same type of tragedy, twice.

I was only 15 when the space shuttle Challenger exploded upon liftoff in 1986. It was 17 years ago, but I can still remember how it felt as I, and my fellow high-schoolers, gathered around the TV in the library and watched footage of the shuttle first disappearing in a ball of smoke and flames and then returning to Earth as so much debris raining down upon the Atlantic Ocean.

It was a terrible feeling of sadness, shock and loss that I hoped I would never experience ...