# Why is Challenger buried in an old missile silo? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [August 26, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843 "2003-08-26T21:12:29Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![aeropl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f05b48/32.png) [@aeropl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aeropl)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/1 "2003-08-26T21:12:29Z")
I read today how they are planning to put the Columbia debris in the huge assembly building at Cape Canaveral. The article mentioned that Columbia will still be accessible to scientists and some others, unlike the Challenger debris which was dumped in a missile silo and cemented over. Why not put it in a musuem? If the fact that people died in the crew compartment is stopping them from displaying it, I can’t see why. That hasn’t stopped anyone from displaying many other things where human lives were lost. Being sealed in an abandoned missile silo just doesn’t seem like a respectful burial place. ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/2 "2003-08-26T22:52:51Z")
I’m trying to think of something, outside of a building or a war trophy, that people have died in being on display. Tell us about one? ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/3 "2003-08-26T22:55:43Z")
It’s _also_ in a silo to keep lowlife scumbags from swiping parts to sell on E-Bay. ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/4 "2003-08-26T23:16:09Z")
They had eBay in 1986? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![PigArcher](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/bcef8e/32.png) [@PigArcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PigArcher)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/5 "2003-08-26T23:20:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Reeder \* > \*\*I’m trying to think of something, outside of a building or a war trophy, that people have died in being on display. > > Tell us about one? \*\* The bullet-riddled Bonny and Clyde car is on display at some casino near the California/Nevada state line. ---
**Author:** ![Scruloose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e68b1a/32.png) [@Scruloose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scruloose)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/6 "2003-08-26T23:24:40Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by friedo \* > \*\*They had eBay in 1986? > > 😉 \*\* No, but [that didn’t stop them.](http://www.space.com/news/challenger_wreckage_010128.html) ---
**Author:** ![Reeder](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c6cbf5/32.png) [@Reeder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeder)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/7 "2003-08-26T23:36:31Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Max\_Castle \* > \*\*The bullet-riddled Bonny and Clyde car is on display at some casino near the California/Nevada state line. \*\* You do realize there are several of those floating around. I guess I should have clarified my statement by stating in a legitimate museum. ---
**Author:** ![aaslatten](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f14d63/32.png) [@aaslatten](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aaslatten)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/8 "2003-08-26T23:51:38Z")
What about the car JFK died in? Where is that? ---
**Author:** ![Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@Mr.Blue\_Sky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Blue_Sky)\ **Post date:** [August 26, 2003, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/9 "2003-08-26T23:59:53Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aaslatten \* > \*\*What about the car JFK died in? Where is that? \*\* IIRC, it’s in a Ford museum in Dearborn. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/10 "2003-08-27T00:27:46Z")
Nightclub owner George Patey bought the bricks from the shot-to-hell warehouse wall from the [Valentine’s Day Massacre](http://www.wikipedia.org/wiki/St._Valentine's_Day_Massacre), which he reconstructed in the men’s room of his club in the early 70’s. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/11 "2003-08-27T01:03:27Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by aaslatten \* > \*\*What about the car JFK died in? Where is that? \*\* Well, it’s not like you can see bullet holes or gore in it, as LBJ had it totally redone after the shooting. ---
**Author:** ![Diceman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/12 "2003-08-27T01:41:52Z")
Be that as it may, the car is still on display in the Henry Ford Museum. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/13 "2003-08-27T02:02:25Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > \*\*Be that as it may, the car is still on display in the Henry Ford Museum. \*\* True. And you can see the USS Arizona, and people take tours to see the Titanic. (Not at the HFM, of course.) ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/14 "2003-08-27T02:30:06Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Diceman \* > \*\*Be that as it may, the car is still on display in the Henry Ford Museum. \*\* IIRC, they also have the chair on which Lincoln sat when he was shot. Speaking of Lincoln, one can also go and see the room in which he died across from Ford’s Theater. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/15 "2003-08-27T04:55:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tuckerfan \* > True. And you can see the USS Arizona, and \*\*people take tours to see the Titanic. \*\* They raised the Titanic? Did I miss the memo? ---
**Author:** ![Ale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@Ale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ale)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/16 "2003-08-27T05:01:31Z")
> [@](#): > > I’m trying to think of something, outside of a building or a war trophy, that people have died in being on display. > > Tell us about one? Mummies and skelletons (AKA dead, real people) are exhibited across the world. An object doesn´t seem like such a big deal in contrast. [TOUR GUIDE] And to the left we can see the boat that pharaoh Amonthep was on when a Nubian assasin killed him _Yuck_ And to the right is Amonthep mummified, ghastly and rotten corpse. _GAH!!!_ [/TOUR GUIDE] ---
**Author:** ![Telemark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/telemark/32/372_2.png) [@Telemark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Telemark)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 5:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/17 "2003-08-27T05:13:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Fear Itself \* > \*\*They raised the Titanic? Did I miss the memo? \*\* They take people down in submersables. Apparently they are messing things up down there, and the wreckage is deteriorating rapidly. [http://www.tauntongazette.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10035349&BRD=1711&PAG=461&dept\_id=24232&rfi=6](http://www.tauntongazette.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=10035349&BRD=1711&PAG=461&dept_id=24232&rfi=6) ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [August 27, 2003, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-is-challenger-buried-in-an-old-missile-silo/197843/18 "2003-08-27T14:19:08Z")
I think you can also visit the \*Hunley, \* a Civil War sub which sank, killing all of its crew members.