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Live coverage immediately after the space shuttle Challenger explosion. The shuttle exploded during ascension about a minute after launch. Program presents various reports and sounds upon aftermath of disaster. This was the 25th shuttle mission, and first loss in space shuttle program.

Read the Text Transcription of the Audio.

we have a report from I have a report to relay the truth by Dynamic concert at the vehicle has exploded before we are now looking at home operations are required for any recovery of horses in the down range field. Apparently exploded and that impact in the water. degrees north 2/8 degrees west NASA commentator is Steve Nesbitt describing the explosion of Challenger on launch. It happened about two a minute into the launch. We have been told by NASA since then that the ascent was normal as far as NASA could see and that they did track of an impact off the coast of Florida in the Atlantic paramedics parachuted into the area. And that is the last word. We have a from there again chorus David Charles wysocki Associated Press correspondent who has been covering the New Hampshire angle of this mission to Christa McAuliffe the school teacher on board a school teacher from New Hampshire. David has brought in a recording of the scene out at the VIP area. Where of they were watching the launch and here is here is what was heard out in in The Spectator area. That was the scene in the bleachers the third grade class that includes Christa McAuliffe son Scott. He was not with him today. He was taken Saturday night to be with his father for the launch in to be away from the class parents and chaperones about a dozen parents have been chaperoning the 19 children this week everyone turn to each other and looked in disbelief. The parents were hugging the children the children were crying the parents are crying trying to make sure they could beg your keeping track of the two or three kids each. They were responsible for about two rows in front of the parents and right in front of me were mr. And mrs. Corrigan Ed and Grace Corrigan from Framingham, Massachusetts, Christopher Collins parents. They looked in disbelief. When they heard the announcement, I don't think it's sunk in immediately. NASA official walked into the bleachers climbed up a few roast where they were and quietly look them in the eye and said the vehicle has exploded misses Cora can look back at him in disbelief and repeated as in as a asking a question her and her response was a vehicle has exploded and he just nodded his head. I spoke to him later. He said he didn't think immediately. Of course, they knew exactly what what he had meant. They were LED away the stands empty to mediately the school principal Clint Cogswell from Concord New Hampshire and the teachers heard of the children remove the children quickly onto the bus. They were all crying. They are all shocked to Scott is a good friend of theirs Scott McAuliffe. The youngster many of the parents were personal friends of Krista at the head of the teachers union in Concord, New Hampshire David Staples this year. He's a colleague and friend of Chris that he was in shock. He was fighting back tears when I spoke to him. And obviously what it be many of the people in the stands including the class had extended their trip. They were supposed to leave yesterday. They made last-minute Arrangements extended the trip today to take in with a thought would be the highlight of their busy week in Florida Bob David, you were obviously watching these these kids. So I assume you also had to had an eye on the on the launch. Can you tell us what you saw was going back and forth watching the rocket watching the kids I too thought that the explosion was the separation of the of the Rockets from the shuttle but then it began to appear to Corkscrew and I had never seen that in a launch before this is the first launch of covered. I've only seen them on TV. And the first thought I had was that that looked strange I didn't believe that it would make such a gyration in in in the launch and thought more like it would be a straight line the kids. I'm sure didn't know what it meant. Some of the parents looked as though they they couldn't figure out Why it was such a zigzag line in the sky. And then when the announcement came over the loudspeaker that there was a major malfunction a hush fell over the bleacher silence complete silent everyone stared up at the smoke in the sky. There wasn't a sound in the bleacher and then the announcement came that apparently there has been an explosion and everyone burst into tears. Daisy again, you mentioned that the parents were in the bleachers was Christmas Son in those ways, you know, he stayed with the class until Saturday night and Saturday night. There was a reception in Orlando co-hosted. I assume by his father Steven McAuliffe and the wives of the current Mission commander and the past mission Commander a traditional reception as I understand it. Went to the reception and stayed with his father after that because of the scheduled launch, of course Sunday morning that we know where they were at this morning. We were told in advance that they would be in the special viewing area building slightly to the left of where the VIP grandstand was, but very close to it probably within a hundred yards of it. So we assume that Steven McAuliffe his son Scott possibly daughter Caroline, who is 6 Scott is 9 wearing that viewing area. Mr. I'm sorry. Mr. Mrs. Cargan Kristen to call his parents were not in the special viewing area. They were in the bleachers with the kids. Okay, let's go back again to that was AP correspond to David Charles wysocki. It was been covering the New Hampshire delegation. You might say here at the Kennedy Space Center all the visitors who came to see your New Hampshire High School teacher Christa McAuliffe flight into space. Let's go back out to a peek or spotted dick. Uliano and dick then maybe you can give us for those just joining us along the line here a recap this morning's tragedy. It was about a half hour ago Bob when Challenger was on its launch pad and began to liftoff what we normally look for when the shuttle lifts up off the Launchpad. It should roll to the right and then arch up out over the Atlantic we got that that seem to be correct. Normally you'll hear a call from Mission Control when they say a Rodger roll it begins to ascend up into the sky and don't we watch Rent-A-Center really out toward the Atlantic and then when it reaches about 28 miles high the solid rocket boosters. Should separate and it continues to rise it never reach that point. It was approximately a minute after liftoff when something horribly tragic happened as Dave Terrell wysocki of Concord New Hampshire described. It was almost like a corkscrew motion and rather than that one bright a tale of flame that we should see as a shuttle Rises. We saw two perhaps straight and then behind and then all we could see was that that white smoke and we saw drifting below it almost stringy pieces of white smoke perhaps debris drifting down over into the into the Atlantic Ocean. It's all began a little more than the 30 minutes ago a crew of seven aboard Challenger and we've been told her recovery ship has been sent out with a Medevac personnel and that's where we stand now the visitor stand. Where are Concord New Hampshire correspondent was reporting with the children and some of the visiting delegates and Cleared out and it's very very quiet now here at the Kennedy Space Center just as stunned stunned disbelief that this is happened after 25 very successful missions for the space shuttle and 10 success at 24 previous missions, and this was going to be Challengers 10th Mission into space. Standing by with us now is correspondence Mark Smith who can give us a little bit more background Mark to bring you back to the last time that the Challenger flu which was a mission that ended in August of 1985 at that point then and that was a July 29th, when it was a ready to launch. They launched it from the cape. It actually got 5 minutes and 45 seconds into its flight but one of the three main engines number one shut down at that point of computer cut in and out of the other two to keep going longer than expected. And so the the the vehicle was able to get up into Earth orbit lower than the expected but if it did indeed get up in the Earth orbit now after the shuttle came down, obviously, they took a look at it and we could look to see what they could have of the engines and the conclusion that some faulty sensors the heat sensors inside the shuttle had become defective and had been telling the computer that there was a Heat pump overheating and then went along and shut down engine. Number one. It was 5 minutes 45 seconds into flight. No serious harm done. They weren't quite able to get up into a plant. Well, those three sensors were removed after the shuttle landed Rockwell International. The main contractors said well, yes indeed Those sensors were defective. They said they had a fact but one of the company Fishel said we found what we expected to find and so they believe they had fix the problem that we absolutely must emphasize. We have no way of knowing whether that problem was connected with what took place today. I do want however want to play you a recording of Gordon Fullerton the mission commander on the last shuttle mission asked about those the engine problems and what he said when he got back to her. Back out once we got at the stoplight. Horvath. We just had nothing to report literally it was clean a flight as I've ever heard of go back into the archives. AP Network news and play you again a recording of a just more NASA's associate administrator administrator for space flight time. Men. He also was asked about those engine shutdown at that engine shutdown episode and a he too was not too terribly concerned about if we had less than 2 hours of actual flight time of the shuttle engine in terms of the active phase until I think that's a very small actual flight data sample that we have to gain I express from so it basically he was saying that they hope they would fly shuttle again and learn more about it to you know from the actual in Flight experience. Once again, we must have Size we have no way of knowing certainly this early stage weather today's accident was connected at all with the problems experienced on that earlier Mission, which as I said, what up, July 29th of last year and I came down to earth after otherwise a perfectly normal flight to in August, of course all speculation at this point and we might add and just as some background here that's earlier this morning. There was concern about icicles switch had formed on the launch Tower those icicles in some cases. We were told head-to-head form to 1 to 2 ft long and there was concern that when the shuttle blast it off they could shake off at our possibly striking the shuttle and damaging The Fragile heat shielding tiles. We might mention that that would make the the craft aerodynamic Leon sound if that damage was was Major here at the Kennedy Space Center. The sky was just a clear crystal clear blue sky the aps dick. Uliano. It is now standing outside and Dick go we can still see the remains of of the the same place. We can see these types of white smoke I all that's left apparently a bit of this launching other than the recovery efforts that are going out over the Atlantic but in the sky we see these these wisps of white smoke and is Mark Smith in Washington and and you hear Bob at Kennedy Space Center. I have said repeatedly we have no information as to what may have caused this explosion. We don't know. However, I wanted to point out that July 29th incident involving Challenger that was not a problem involving. It was not a problem with the engines of Challenger. This was a problem with a temperature gauge. Temperature gauge that told the ship's computer the engine was running hot and consequently the computer shut down and engine that was operating perfectly fine. So if it all that abort to orbit that we had back here on July 29th points out another one of these numerous safety features that NASA likes to refer to as its redundancy another safety feature to protect the astronauts the computer turned off that engine because it thought it was running too hot and it turned out not to be so the problem there was was an engine gauge we mentioned of the icicles formed on the surface structure 1 to 2 ft long icicles that NASA had voiced a concern about these some as you mentioned Baba were feared might the damage the sensitive tile structure. There's something else we haven't mentioned the space shuttle is lined with explosives knows it's done before very interesting reason when the space shuttle leaves the launch pad it is to arch up over. Do the right going out over the Atlantic Ocean if something went wrong upon its initial ascent and it was heading the wrong way say perhaps to the West toward populated areas. There is an Air Force man at Cape Canaveral who can throw a switch and destroy the shuttle that is not what happened here, but I did want to point out that the shuttle Beyond caring 500000 gallons of fuel in its external tank and Beyond the three million pounds of thrust into solid rocket boosters. It's also lined with ordinance. You might mention also that the early missions of the Space Shuttle the space shuttle Columbia. They were equipped with ejection seats. Those ejection seats were taken out to after the first few missions after the shuttle reached what they call operational stage and they were taken out for space reasons. So there are no ejection seats on the space shuttle, and of course it would be Not possible because some of the crew rides mid deck and and the rest of the crew rides on the on the upper deck of the space shop. Approximately 45 minutes ago when Challenger left the pad now Bob. Our mission clock is still running at 244.236. Kennedy Space Center. If you're just joining us there has been a terrible tragedy for the American space program for the shuttle program here at the Kennedy Space Center the shuttle Columbia or the shuttle Challenger. I should say was about a minute into launch when it exploded. eating our earlier information for those who I have not 38 to Central Time on launch approximately a minute or so after Tower clear that wasn't apparent explosion of halftime mom I think it was lost approximately a minute into the flight. That was a shortly after I throttle up 204% of the three main engines. Director positions positions in the room later on and this morning and was informed that were no anomalous indications that the time tracking reported impact of the vehicle. I with the water down drain stopped. recovery forces being deployed to the field They're unable to me and bacterium. Agency procedures are in effect and following those procedures all of the data available in mission control from the play at the point to the point of the data is being secured and will be carefully evaluated. We have no additional information at this time and we'll keep you advised as other details to come available. This is Mission Control, Houston. So there you have it. So we have no no word on the fate of the of the crew. Although it would appear that the shuttle exploded with without warning. It would also appear Bob that they still don't know what went wrong because you heard Steve Nesbitt the voice of Mission Control say they had no anomalies which means nothing with the Tifton Mission controls knowledge was going wrong up until that point about a minute after liftoff when the Orbiter exploded and apparently A significant explosion because here we are 45 minutes after the lift off and they're just now allowing the rescue teams into the area of the Atlantic because there was so much debris falling and the remains of the steam Cloud that was created by the first minute of the shuttles rise into the air still can be seen here in the Florida Sky hanging like a Pall over the Kennedy Space Center now earlier today. This has been we we have been saying for the past four days now and anxious waiting game for for the shuttle crew and in particular the first private citizen to to go into space, New Hampshire High School teacher Christa McAuliffe earlier today as she climbed aboard the space shuttle. Christa McAuliffe has spoken a microphone check to launch control here at the Kennedy Space Center and that that anxious waiting was mentioned today. New Hampshire High School teacher Christa McAuliffe telling mission control that she was ready to go into space. Standing by at the Lighthouse. Now the ap's Candy Crowley who has been briefed by White House spokesman Larry speakes. If you were with us earlier, you heard that statement candy and you give us a recap of what the situation is what the statement is at the White House senior staff meeting in the Oval Office when Vice President George Bush and National Security advisor, John Poindexter entered the room and told the president of the tragedy with the shuttle the meeting immediately broke up and the president with his senior staff went into an adjoining room to watch the television speak says that the president is like all Americans deeply concerned and very shocked at what he has seen speaks describes. The president's mood is silent. He said the president stood there in almost done silence as he watched the television speaks as you can certainly read the concern in the sorrow in the anxiety on his face speaks was asked about Whether there was any special thought of of course the teacher that was in the space shuttle because this was the teacher in space program was one of the president's programs speak said it was not mentioned. But certainly he noted it was on all of our minds. If he's kind of curly at the White House, this is KFC in Minneapolis-Saint Paul. If you're just tuning in for the midday program stay tuned it will follow as soon as we conclude coverage of the Space Shuttle accident this morning. They space shuttle Challenger exploded and went down in flames shortly after takeoff from Cape Canaveral this morning that was about 5500 minutes ago. We now return to live coverage of that accident from Associated Press radio news. It's anchored by Bob moon in Washington, as you know, a lot of TV and Radio Networks had ceased broadcasting the the launches of the shuttle fly because it had become so routine and it was as if with a selection of Christa McAuliffe as the as the first teacher in space, it was injecting new life into the space shuttle program at least as far as public interest was concerned and indeed. Christa McAuliffe was described by those who met her during the selection process and those who know her of course as a breath of fresh air. She was chosen as the teacher in space last July of 1985. He was 37 years old. She was born in Boston. She graduated from Framingham State College and held a master's degree in education from Bowie State College in Maryland. She had taught English and American history since 1970 and until her selection as the NASA teacher in space Utah Tikka nomics law American history and she developed a very own course for her 10th through 12th grade students in Concord, New Hampshire. It was a course on the American woman. She was married to Steven who was a lawyer and they had two children the other shuttle crew members saw the spacecraft Commander was Francis Scobee. He was known as dick. He was 46 years old and Native of Washington state. You became a NASA astronaut in 1978. He had received his degree in aerospace engineering from the University of Arizona in 1965. He was a veteran of the Air Force and he had logged more than 6,500 hours and 45 different types of aircraft. The pilot was Michael Smith a 40 year old man. Beaufort North Carolina became a NASA astronaut in 1980. He received his BS degree in Naval science from the US Naval Postgraduate School. He has her for the Navy in Vietnam and it logged over 4,300 hours. Judy Resnik was one of the three Mission Specialists of where the Challenger she was 36 years old and Native of Akron Ohio. She received her BS degree in electrical engineering from Carnegie Mellon University and a PhD in electrical engineering from the University of Maryland. She have been an astronaut since 1978. The second mission specialist was Ronald McNair. I needed a Lake City South Carolina. He was 35 years old with a Physics degree from North Carolina A&T State University and a PhD in physics from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. The third mission specialist was Ellison onizuka. He was born in Kona Hawaii in 1946. He received degrees in the aerospace engineering from the University of Colorado. He became a NASA astronaut in 1978 and payload specialist. Greg Jarvis was 42 years old a native of Detroit. He had received multiple degrees from several universities. And that that that was the seventh person Crew 2 females and five males back to you about Cars one of us Lee Sawyer joining us with some background on the seven crewmembers aboard this inflated the ill-fated flight of Challenger the orbit of Challenger the space shuttle Challenger join us as Fleet in July of 1982. That's when it was delivered to the Kennedy Space Center it launched for the first time on April 4th 1983 on its first space mission II Orbiter to fly its first flight was the sixth of the space shuttle program and it had the flown nine missions before this one including the first night launch and landing in the shuttle program in the first landing at the Kennedy Space Center Challenger was named after an American Naval Research vessel that made extensive the cruises over vast expanses of the Atlantic and Pacific back in the 1870s. And this as we save was to be Challengers 10th flight into space 2 recap if you are just joining us the space shuttle Challenger lift it off a LaunchPad. Everything appeared to be going perfectly as it lifted off the launch pad that familiar River of fire that comes from the shuttle's rocket engines and about a minutes into the launch the space shuttle suddenly without warning exploded NASA had absolutely no indication that there was anything wrong. There was an immediate loss of signal from the shuttle and they were able to track an impact into the Atlantic Ocean paramedics. We were told that we're going into the area and we have not heard back yet what the situation is if if the paramedics found any survivors know otherwise, you wouldn't mention Bob the Apparently just got into that area. You said that the flight looked perfect and indeed the indication from Mission Control at this point. Yes, if there were no anomalies upon a scent and the only indication of trouble and was what we saw right in front of us approximately 18 miles in the sky Corkscrew type motion too much flame three dots rather than just the one large white flying and apparently a major tragedy a stunning absolutely incredible love we have grown to accept the space shuttle space flight as as routine. That is what the space shuttle did for is his make space flight seemingly routine everyone Associated directly with the Space Program. However, I knew that that was not the case that there is always a very real Hazard when you launch show one of these vehicles and you can sense it when you come down here Bob because of being from out of the year, we do 10 to take the shuttle for granted thinking that it is a routine space transportation system and Things can't go wrong. But when you get here, you do notice that there are individuals that are in effect to putting their lives on the line and and NASA has a certain little Traditions that prove this to be. So for example before each Mission takes that trip out of the launch pad are they have a traditional lunch or breakfast depending on the time of day each Mission has a cake of, you know decorated with the with their mission logo their patch in this case if what we had was the Space Shuttle streaking across the sky the Earth in the background Halley's Comet and the names of the astronauts surrounding this this view with a little apple between the name Christa McAuliffe and the other payload specialist Greg Jarvis Tom Wolf in his famous book that it was turned into a movie The Right Stuff spoke of the early astronauts says as almost as Gladiators going to war and that really was still the feeling here at the Kennedy Space Center in the space program in general. As as the seven crewmembers this morning left the crew quarters. There was Applause they were there. That's also a NASA tradition. They are greeted by Applause almost as if Gladiators going to battle Thursday of this week Bob the crew arrived aboard t-38 jet planes and all the shuttle training plane and touchdown at a Runway at the Kennedy Space Center. And as is the tradition when astronauts arrive at KSC the HR address the crowd of onlookers, Leslie Sawyer has a pointed out who these people are in a little bit about them. And so we thought that it might be a good idea for a listening public to hear these people. We will begin with the commander Francis dick Scobee of Washington state. He will introduce the rest of the crew members who were aboard space shuttle mission 51l the launch of Challenger with the teacher. A real pleasure to be at the cape to come down here and participate in something at the cave. Does there anybody in the world that's launching space Vehicles? It's a it's a great pleasure for us to be here. We expect weather like this Sunday when we launched and y'all do the best to keep it that way if you would and what I'll do is introduce the next crew member will just go down a line with everybody say a little little bit ago, and I'd like to introduce my pilot Mike Smith is one of the best wires in the world and he's great to have them in the shuttle and I'm glad to have him as bored as a pilot. So here's my Thanks, dick. What dick said about it's good to be down here in the 3 flying a vehicle that we know a lot of folks and her work very hard on me understand. It's ready to go. We're looking forward to going to fly. I'm one of the three people on board who who's in there will be up be my first time to fly Christa McAuliffe and Greg Jarvis will also be our first on or just all looking forward to getting on over and get me a secret handshake. I like to introduce now Judy Resnik. She's a she's our Center Cedar and I keep sticking I honest on the system problems. Well, I too am glad to be here one more time and I am hoping that the the Affliction that see Holly had from the 41 D mission mission specialist of the delays hasn't rubbed off on me. And I think the guys behind me are hoping that it hasn't also otherwise, they might throw me off the flight. And I will now introduce LOL onizuka. Let me say that it's really a pleasure to be back. Looking forward to going to fly. This one. I think we got some real interesting payloads. The mission is a is a great Mission. We're looking forward to it. And I think that we're ready to go fly. Thanks for being out here today. I forgot the one thing I was supposed to do. Let me introduce. Ron McNair was going to be doing a lot of work with the Spartan Halle Mission and carrying on a lot of the experiments that will be going on in the crew compartment. I guess I like to wear clothes pins to my crew members that we look forward to returning launching from the cape. First of all and returning here a few days later. I had the privilege of being a part of the crew a couple years ago that made the first landing here at the cake and I intend to be a part of the crew to make the first fraternal and into the cake in about a week at the time. I like to introduce you or to a prep the first meeting what you came for free and that saw Christa McAuliffe a payload specialist teacher in space. Again, this was Thursday. Well, I am. Any teacher has ever been more ready to have two lessons in my life. I've been preparing these and September and I just hope everybody Tunes in on day 4 now to watch the teacher teaching from space. And those were the seven crew members of Challenger again, if you're just joining us Challenger did list off the launch pad this morning at 11:38 eastern time in a minute into the mission. I'm headed into the flight exploded without warning. There is no word on the fate of the crew. And a word on what may have caused the explosion aboard the Orbiter so far we've heard from Mission specialist Steve Nesbitt that there were no anomalies after it lifted off and that rescue Personnel were dispatched to the area but not allowed into the immediate area because of falling debris were not allowed into the immediate area for over 45 minutes 44 two 45 minutes after the accident occurred. The reaction continues to come in we have heard reaction a stun reaction from President Reagan already through his spokesman Larry speaks on Capitol Hill the eight-piece nor will I have some reaction there? The House of Representatives convened at noon eastern time as usual the session open with a Prayer by the house chaplain the Reverend James David Ford this time. There was a special message set up this special moment. Let us remember in silent prayer. Those were involved in the spacecraft shuttle accident just a few minutes ago about Florida. Let us pray the occasion the house recess for a few hours North Wolfe, Capitol Hill. We're looking at video replay of the shuttle explosion and what we see is it is apparent that the shuttle exploded and fragmented from the front camera angle. There's no question about it. We saw the the plume of smoke but we definitely saw an explosion and then they the two solid rocket boosters piercing off in different directions following what apparently was an explosion of the Challenger what we saw earlier this morning about an hour ago now was was the shuttle of rising above the the ground High into the sky and suddenly The Familiar plume of smoke dividing. And spiraling and sudden realization that that something was dreadfully wrong. The astronauts families Bob or generally kept together specifically for reasons like this and they would have been together perhaps over by your crew quarters or the Vehicle Assembly Building off for good view of the launching and with them, you know, perhaps would have been Christa McAuliffe. So husband Stephen Christy's husband was here for nine-year-old son and her five-year-old daughter and just to hear to unfortunately witness a terrible tragedy has Mark Russo is standing by with his now. This is certainly without a doubt the biggest tragedy the biggest disaster in the American space program, but there have been other hitches to this point Market some background on that 55 manned space flights and never a death until now in space, but ironically 19 years ago yesterday three astronauts died on the launch pad. During a pressure test of the Apollo spacecraft the Apollo Air Force Lieutenant Commander Virgil Gus Grissom Air Force Lieutenant Colonel Edward White and Lieutenant Commander Rodger Chaffee. They died of a v a fixie ation. That was the official official notification during a fire on board Apollo and they died in the first 18 seconds of the fire Frank Borman who is now chairman of Eastern Eastern Airlines with an astronaut at the time. He tried to explain to reporters what happened management if you will and take us to ignition sources and in a 16.7 pure oxygen atmosphere basic deficiency was the fact that we had Bolivar wiring that provided ignition Source technical talk what it boils down to is it three astronauts and Rodger Chaffee died January? 7th 1967 in the line of duty there have been many close calls in the space program notably Apollo 13 that ship was 200,000 miles away from us on route to the Moon in 1970 when it's oxygen tank exploded left without power and heat the astronauts crawled into the attempt lunar lander and huddled there while gravity carry them around the Moon and back toward Earth America had its first space scare on the second man space flight when Gus Grissom Road the Mercury spacecraft Liberty Bell 7 and a 15-minute suborbital flight the spacecraft parachuted into the Atlantic and sank Grissom had to swim for his life and is awkward space suit also in the Mercury program the first American orbital flight by John Glenn Mission Control got an indication that a rocket package has broken loose and possibly would not work without it. Glenwood have to be trapped in orbit would have been trapped in orbit. Thankfully it did not happen the Rock at work and he landed safely in 19. B62 American astronauts came within 3 seconds of death on Gemini 8 the astronauts Neil Armstrong landed on the moon and David Scott had linked up in space with an unmanned agena rocket only minutes later their craft began to spin out of control Armstrong later gained Fame, of course of the first man to walk on the moon finally stop this pain by firing a re-entry rocket the ship came home safely the space shuttle program, which had its first flight in April of 1981 has had its share of scares but none before in a life-threatening category. There have been a number of Launchpad aborts we become familiar with when pressure in the shuttle that built the liftoff point and once there was an abort to orbit which meant that one of the ships three engines had to be shut down during a scent. But again there 5555 manned space flights. I never had death until now. This is the AP radio network now back to Bob Moon live at the Kennedy Space Center. And this is coverage of what's has turned a tragedy here the mission of Challenger stations along the AP Network line. We want to advise you that we are going to be continuing this coverage. We will pause at the top of the hour for a for a newscast stuff and be bringing you up-to-date on the other news today and then be coming back to our coverage here. So if you want to stay stay with us, or we are waiting to hear the first of all from the paramedics of the cruise that have gone into the area of the Atlantic where the the tracking when I subtract the they object that fell into the Atlantic and we also are waiting to see if there is any indication from NASA as they play back their Telemetry over and over again, they have just the amount of data to go through if they find any indication of what happened. We can see from video replays that the shuttle indeed exploded it appear to what's a fragment to some lie about a minute before it got off the ground or a minute after I got off the ground and now there is just a just a trace of in the sky of of the remains of that plume of steam that that lifted the shuttle high in the sky. daps tequila

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