On this day...

Jan 28 1986 New York Times
I just took a look at the NY Times' everyday e-mail, and it reminded me of a tragedy the whole world shed their tears in woe. Nineteen years ago on January 28th of 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, killing all seven crew members. (See http://www.nytimes.com/learning/general/onthisday/big/0128.html for the report) I remember this tragedy as I was a eighth grader in junior high. Space was a fantasy to many of us, and I think many other school boys and girls were left in sorrow. I saw the video of this tragedy in a physics class a year or two later. I can still remember the girls weeping, even though everybody knew the fate of the crew. One of the crew was a female school teacher. The would-have-been first ordinary citizen in space. Dreams were initially lost, but years later the Shuttle's adventures have revived as we've grown up to see the race to space among the advanced nations.
Recently another tragedy occured on February 1st, 2003 with Columbia exploding after entering earth from space. Rockets launched by the Japanese is continuing its disastrous record. Several satellites have turned into debris. Millions of dollars wasted... The Japan Space Exploration Agency(JAXA) is preparing to launch its No. 7 Rocket this Feburary on the 24th. This time again with a multi million dollar satellite which will replace the already expired "Himawari"(=Sunflower in Japanese) , the main weather satellite of Japan. I hope from the bottom of my heart of its success, not just for the money invested but for all the school kids watching in front of the TV with dreams of adventures in space. Ganbare!!

P.S.
By the way, the ex-boss of NHK has turned down the offer to be an advisor. I still think any of this being on the news hurt the organization siginficantly. So my opinion still stands!