Kelvin Manning was a U.S. Air Force captain assigned to NORAD’s Cheyenne Mountain when NASA’s space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff on Jan. 28, 1986 — and he still recalls feelings of tremendous grief and helplessness.
Years later, Manning worked for NASA as vehicle manager for shuttle Columbia. The doomed spacecraft broke apart during atmospheric reentry on Feb. 1, 2003, just 16 minutes before its scheduled landing at Kennedy Space Center.
Today, the illuminated names of Challenger and Columbia’s lost crews shine from the black granite face of the Space Mirror Memorial at the KSC Visitor Complex. This 42½-foot-tall monument honors 25 astronauts who lost their lives in pursuit of spaceflight.
“The torch they carried now lights our path forward. So on this day, we honor the lives not only with remembrance, but with resolve. Let us continue to carry forth their spirit. May we continue to explore with care and curiosity. May we teach the next generation their names,” said Manning, who is now KSC deputy director.
“And may the Challenger 7 and all those we’ve lost from the NASA family forever inspire us to reach upward with responsibility, with hope, and with an unshakable commitment to the pursuit of knowledge,” he said.
Manning addressed a crowd Thursday, Jan. 22, during a somber ceremony marking NASA’s Day of Remembrance. The 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster cast a shadow over the annual event, and a crowd gathered inside the Space Shuttle Atlantis building at the KSC Visitor Complex.
Attendees sat beneath the mosaic of more than 20,000 heat shield tiles of elevated Atlantis. The retired orbiter traveled nearly 126 million miles on 33 missions, carrying 207 crew members into low-Earth orbit.
A Brevard Symphony Orchestra string quintet provided music alongside the speakers’ podium. After the program ended, relatives and attendees walked outside and placed a wreath and long-stemmed carnations and roses along the white metal fence ringing the Space Mirror Memorial.
Remembering three NASA tragedies
Seventeen of the memorial’s 25 names date from three NASA tragedies:
“In all cases, good men and women did their very best to prepare those vehicles and those crews for the missions that are represented on that mirror outside,” said Bob Cabana, a four-time astronaut who retired as NASA associate administrator in 2023.
“No one who participated in the decisions that were made thought they were going to put the crews at risk. They all had good intentions. But good intentions are not enough in our business,” Cabana said.
“We need good and accurate data so that we can make informed decisions. We need an environment where folks feel free to speak up without fear of retribution when things aren’t right,” he said.
Looking ahead, Titusville’s annual Astronaut Remembrance Ceremony will take place from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 25, at Sand Point Park. Keynote speaker will be astronaut Jan Davis, who flew three missions aboard shuttles Discovery and Endeavour. Afterward, the American Space Museum will host an informal reception from 3 p.m. to 4 p.m.
The on Sunday night, the Space Force will launch a GPS III national security satellite named for Challenger astronaut Ellison Onizuka. That SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket will lift off during a 15-minute window that opens at 11:46 p.m. at Cape Canaveral Space Force Station.
For the latest news from Cape Canaveral Space Force Station and NASA’s Kennedy Space Center, visit floridatoday.com/space. Another easy way: Click here to sign up for our weekly 321 Launch space newsletter.
Rick Neale is a Space Reporter at FLORIDA TODAY, where he has covered news since 2004. Contact Neale at Rneale@floridatoday.com. Twitter/X: @RickNeale1
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This article originally appeared on Florida Today: NASA remembers fallen astronauts during Kennedy Space Center memorial ceremony
Reporting by Rick Neale, Florida Today / Florida Today
USA TODAY Network via Reuters Connect
