# 40th anniversary of the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40th-anniversary-of-the-explosion-of-the-space-shuttle-challenger/1027118>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 28, 2026, 12:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40th-anniversary-of-the-explosion-of-the-space-shuttle-challenger/1027118 "2026-01-28T12:19:02Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 3

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**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 12:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40th-anniversary-of-the-explosion-of-the-space-shuttle-challenger/1027118/41 "2026-06-27T00:31:45Z")

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> [@Disinfectus](#):
>
> Perhaps the only time I actually had some respect for Reagan was how he addressed the nation, more like someone’s grandfather might handle it, rather than a President. He impressed me that day, probably for the first and last time.

He canceled his State of the Union speech to give a eulogy. One thing Reagan could do was deliver his lines.

Referencing the poem [High Flight](https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/157986/high-flight-627d3cfb1e9b7)

> [@](#):
>
> …The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives. We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them, this morning, as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye and `slipped the surly bonds of earth'' to `touch the face of God.‘’

> **[Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger](https://www.reaganlibrary.gov/archives/speech/address-nation-explosion-space-shuttle-challenger)**
>
> Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger

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**Author:** ![Disinfectus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/disinfectus/32/11085_2.png) [@Disinfectus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Disinfectus)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40th-anniversary-of-the-explosion-of-the-space-shuttle-challenger/1027118/42 "2026-06-27T00:37:19Z")

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> [@Moriarty](#):
>
> One thing Reagan could do was deliver his lines.

Yeah, I never lost sight of the fact that he was, foremost, an actor. But I think it was what was needed at the time. Plus, I miss hearing our government officials at least pretending to be inclusive, rather than divisive. If the Challenger accident happened today, it would be handled so very differently.

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**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\
**Post date:** [June 27, 2026, 1:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/40th-anniversary-of-the-explosion-of-the-space-shuttle-challenger/1027118/43 "2026-06-27T01:42:27Z")

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I was at sea. I was the radioman of the watch when we came up to periscope depth to copy the broadcast – and it was full of SAR messages. Very full. I had to sort through a couple dozen to find out what it was they were searching for and hoping to rescue.

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