The Astronauts of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia
This is a time of year that NASA, the United States and the entire world pause to remember the untimely deaths and sacrifices of true heroes - the crews of Apollo 1 and the Challenger and Columbia space shuttles.
On January 27, 1967 astronauts Gus Grissom, Ed White and Roger Chafee died in a fire during a pre-launch test.
On January 28, 1986 the seven member crew of Challenger: Francis Scobee, Micheal Smith, Judy Resnik, Ellison Onizuka, Ron McNair, Greg Jarvis and Christa Mcauliffe died 73 seconds after the launch of STS-51L.
On February 1, 2003 the seven member crew of Columbia: Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Mike Anderson, Ilan Ramon, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown and Laurel Clark died 16 minutes before the scheduled landing of the STS-107 mission.
As President Bush remarked during the Columbia Memorial Service on February 4, 2004: "This cause of exploration and discovery is not an option we choose; it is a desire written in the human heart. We are that part of creation which seeks to understand all creation. We find the best among us, send them forth into unmapped darkness, and pray they will return. They go in peace for all mankind, and all mankind is in their debt."
Rest in peace.