Columbia was the first space shuttle to launch in the US Space Shuttle program. On April 12th, 1981 it lifted off from Pad 39A at Cape Canaveral, Florida and made her first historic orbit around Earth. Columbia completed 28 successful missions during her 22 years of service before tragedy struck on February 1st, 2003 when the ship disintegrated over Texas while reentering Earth’s atmosphere. The seven-member crew onboard were all tragically lost.  

In 2004, on the first anniversary of the loss of the space shuttle Columbia, NASA introduced its annual Day of Remembrance for those who lost their lives while exploring space. Since its inception, NASA has held an annual Day of Remembrance every January, honoring all its fallen heroes. It is not only a day for paying respects to those who have given all

for a future in space but also a day to celebrate and remember their achievements.

January 27th, 1967 marks the first tragedy of the American space program. A fire erupted in the Apollo 1 capsule during a preflight test, and killed all three astronauts aboard; Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chaffee. It was a devastating blow to the dream of space exploration and became a turning point for NASA. The investigation that followed highlighted many technical issues that were addressed before any other missions were attempted. To this day, the Apollo 1 crew is remembered for their dedication to taking mankind into space.

We remember all of the astronauts and scientists who have lost their lives in the history of space exploration, including the Apollo, Challenger and Columbia disasters, as well as honor those involved in fatal training accidents or illnesses related to their mission-related activities.

 In recent years, NASA’s Day of Remembrance has become even more important as new discoveries are made in space. As space exploration continues to evolve and progress, it is important that we take time each year to remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so we can advance our knowledge of space.

 NASA’s Day of Remembrance is a day to celebrate the history of space exploration, honor those who made it possible, reflect on the progress that has been made and the heroes who have sacrificed so much for humanity’s next great step. It is a chance to honor our history and look ahead with hope towards a better tomorrow in space.

Resources Referenced:

 Dunbar, B. (n.d.). NASA Day of Remembrance. NASA. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.nasa.gov/specials/dor2022/ 

 Frederick, T. (2021, January 28). What is NASA’s day of remembrance? NASA. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.nasa.gov/feature/what-is-nasa-s-day-of-remembrance 

 Groh, J. (2022, January 27). At KSC, NASA’s day of remembrance honors the fallen. Florida Today. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.floridatoday.com/story/tech/science/space/2022/01/27/ksc-nasas-day-remembrance-honors-fallen/9232135002/ 

 Howell, E. (2022, January 27). NASA honors fallen astronauts with day of remembrance. Space.com. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.space.com/nasa-day-remembrance-2022 

Olsen, J. (2022, January 25). NASA to honor fallen astronauts at day of remembrance ceremony. wtsp.com. Retrieved January 18, 2023, from https://www.wtsp.com/article/tech/science/space/nasa-day-of-rememberance-ceremony/67-230e9d3c-961f-43dc-997f-768791483b18