Political Quotes

“Mr. President, 30 years ago today, it was very cold in Florida at the Kennedy Space Center. Both pads had been readied for the first time--a space shuttle on 39A and 39B--since the Space Shuttle Columbia, which was the 24th flight, was so late getting off the ground--indeed, for the better part of the month, from the first start and four scrubs starting December 19 but finally launching after the fifth try into a flawless 6-day mission on January 12, to return to Earth on January 18. In the meantime, on the other space shuttle launch pad, Challenger--the 25th flight--is being readied. The night before the day of the launch, which is 30 years ago today, it was exceptionally cold in Florida. It got down to 25 degrees. Indeed, there were actually icicles hanging on the launch tower. As the crew arrived in the early morning hours--and there were holds all the way up until a little bit past 11 o'clock. At this point, the temperature had improved to 36 degrees. The icicles were still there, but it was above freezing. There was considerable consternation throughout the entire apparatus of NASA and its contractors-- particularly the top managers, as well as the managers of the company that made the solid rocket boosters--as to whether there should be a launch, and the go was given. Seventy-three seconds high into the sky above Florida, Challenger disintegrated.…”