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Twenty five years ago today, the space shuttle Challenger exploded.
Soon afterward, my mother got the people of her office to write cards and letters to the families of those lost. When NASA wrote back, the letter and enclosed notes were given to my mom by her co-workers. She had them framed, and has displayed them ever since.
It seems fitting to share them today.
I rarely post anything full-size, but this is different. If you choose the original size for this photo, you will be able to read the documents.
Part of a platter for a women who is turning 33. The colors are off since it's pouring rain and dark and dreary. She asked for purple, orange, bright pink and emerald green. She's going to Legoland, the Kennedy Space Center and on a road trip.
Space Shuttle Discovery is bathed in light on Launch Pad 39B. Seen above the external tank is the vent hood (known as the "beanie cap") at the end of the gaseous oxygen vent arm. Vapors are created as the liquid oxygen in the external tank boil off and the hood vents the gaseous oxygen vapors away from the shuttle. Below it is the orbiter access arm with the White Room at the end, through which the crew accesses the orbiter.
Discovery is scheduled to launch on mission STS-116 at on Saturday, Dec. 9. On the mission, the crew will deliver truss segment, P5, to the International Space Station and begin the intricate process of reconfiguring and redistributing the power generated by the two pairs of solar arrays. The P5 will be mated to the P4 truss that was delivered and attached during the STS-115 mission in September.
Image credit: NASA/George Shelton