From my friend’s house, I called the chair of the Museum’s Department of Space History to ask him to handle any press inquiries that might be directed to me. I did know that the media would soon be contacting the Museum for comments and interviews, and I did not want to speculate about what had happened or why or what it might mean for the future of NASA and spaceflight. I knew enough about spaceflight to be aware of what I didn’t know, and on the day Columbia disappeared, I knew nothing about the reason. Before coming to the Museum in 1989, I had worked on NASA’s Shuttle-Spacelab missions in Huntsville and Houston. (National Air and Space Museum Archives, NASM.2004.0029)įor almost 30 years, I was a curator of human spaceflight at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum, specializing in the Space Shuttle era. Why?įragments of Space Shuttle Columbia were visible in the sky as it broke apart during re-entry. Columbia had evidently disintegrated during its return. Soon a photograph that looked like meteors streaking across the sky appeared. Reports of sonic booms and stuff raining down from the sky were coming in from a large swath of east Texas from Dallas to Louisiana. Reports were coming in that the shuttle Columbia had not reached the landing facility in Florida at the designated time, which could only mean catastrophe. May I come over to check your TV and radio?” Ten minutes later we were following the breaking news together. “I think something has happened to the Space Shuttle. I immediately called my best friend and college roommate who lived nearby and asked if I could drop by. A radio was on low volume there, and as I was checking out, I heard something about NASA losing contact with the Space Shuttle, which was due to land within minutes. On February 1, 2003, however, I had booked an early salon appointment. Usually, I make no plans for Saturday mornings to allow myself the luxury of sleeping late without an alarm clock starting the day. Your support will help fund exhibitions, educational programming, and preservation efforts.īecome a member Wall of Honor Ways to give Host an Event Programs Learning resources Plan a field trip Educator professional development Education monthly theme Stories Topics Collections On demand For researchersīring the Air and Space Museum to your learners, wherever you are. National Air and Space Museum in DC Udvar-Hazy Center in VA Plan a field trip Plan a group visitĭiscover our exhibitions and participate in programs both in person or virtually.īrowse our collections, stories, research, and on demand content. Free timed-entry passes are required for the Museum in DC. Visit us in Washington, DC and Chantilly, VA to explore hundreds of the world’s most significant objects in aviation and space history.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |
AuthorWrite something about yourself. No need to be fancy, just an overview. ArchivesCategories |