On this day

1986 - 27 years ago. The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded just over 60 seconds into flight. It was the 25th shuttle flight, a flight that had been delayed for launch for 6 days due to problems with ice and bad weather. 7 astronauts lost their lives that day and even though I was only 12, nearly 13, I remember it clearly. The images of the explosion stay in my head. The magnitude of both what NASA was doing with Space Exploration and of the loss of life in those brief moments were significant to my pre-pubescent brain and I won't forget them.

I won't forget watching the first Space Shuttle launch footage from 1981 either - I was a young pup - 8 years old when STS1 - Space Shuttle Columbia went into space for the first of 28 missions of its own. It's 28th mission was it's final (STS 107) - when Columbia disintegrated upon re-entry and the crew were lost.

The books in the image are mine, gifts from my parents. Both are labelled with my name and '1981' in my Dad's handwriting - an indication of how long I have been interested in the universe beyond our atmosphere.

I am doing an assembly tomorrow, my second in a week, and it is themed around Space - or rather the teamwork required to get 3 men to the moon and the attitude of 'it won't fail because of me'. To me, somewhere along the way, society seems to have lost sight of who the heroes and role models really are. There was a time, before my time, where young people would no doubt have aspirations to be astronauts because of the achievements of Armstrong, Aldrin, Collins and the millions of people in the background who got them to the moon. These days, it seems that role models of that calibre, status, education - they just seem to be lacking and instead our youngsters seem intent on chasing the cult of 'personality'.

Well, I for one still consider the scientists, the engineers, the explorers, the astronauts and the inventors to be my role models - I was inspired back then and continue to be inspired now. I remember and I hold the things that inspire me close to my heart. It's a good thing.

On that note, I missed Wonders of Life last night due to doing my spreadsheets so I am now off to soak in the bath in the company of my favourite (astro)physicist - of course, he will be on the iPlayer! Wouldn't want to upset my husband!