Slipped the surly bonds of earth to touch the face of God

25 years ago this morning I sat in the library of Mather Heights elementary school eagerly anticipating the launch of Space Shuttle Challenger. With school teacher Christa McAuliffe on board as the first civilian in space, this launch garnered more attention than usual. 73 seconds after liftoff all 7 astronauts were gone as the space shuttle exploded. Shock and confusion soon swept across the library. Teachers and students were crying. For my generation this was comparable to when JFK was assassinated. I'll never forget where I was when this tragedy happened. Growing up to be an astronaut was always my goal in life when I was a kid. This didn't happen but I do hope one day to still be able to go into space. Take a moment today to remember those astronauts whose lives were lost.

• Commander Francis R. (Dick) Scobee
• Pilot Michael J. Smith
• Mission specialists Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka and Judith A. Resnik
• Payload specialists Gregory B. Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe