Friday, February 8, 2019

Remembering the Fallen Space Heroes on NASA’s Day of Remembrance: Gallery


NASA pays tribute to fallen astronauts at the annual Day of Remembrance ceremony held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex with KSC Director and former astronaut Bob Cabana and NASA officials at the Space Mirror Memorial on Feb. 7, 2019. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Ken Kremer -- SpaceUpClose.com & RocketSTEM -- 8 February 2019 
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER VISITOR COMPLEX/TITUSVILLE, FL - We Remember the Fallen Space Heroes on NASA’s Day of Remembrance at ceremonies held annually each year at this time that honors the lives and legacies of the astronauts lost in the noble pursuit of the exploration of space since the agency’s founding 60 years ago. 

NASA remembers the fallen astronaut crews of the Apollo 1 and Space Shuttle Challenger and Columbia tragedies as well as others who lost their lives while on NASA missions or in training starting in the1960s and spanning to this century. 

Their 24 names will be forever remembered and are carved into the iconic Space Mirror  Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex where a tribute ceremony was held on Thursday, Feb. 7 with KSC Director and former space shuttle astronaut Bob Cabana spoke as the keynote speaker. 

“Many of the names on the mirror were friends of mine. And I miss them. But they are not forgotten,” said Kennedy Space Center Director and astronaut Bob Cabana, at the Space Mirror Memorial on Feb. 7.

“Now more than ever it’s important we pause and remember the crews of Apollo, Challenger and Columbia.    
Cabana was joined in a wreath laying ceremony by NASA officials, Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach, Sheryl Chaffee, daughter of lost Apollo 1 astronaut Roger Chaffee and Thad Altman, of the Astronaut Memorial Foundation.
KSC Director and former astronaut Bob Cabana participated in wreath laying at Day of Remembrance tribute to fallen astronauts along with Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach, NASA officials and Sheryl Chaffee at the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Feb. 7, 2019.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
Check out our gallery of Space UpClose photos from the tribute held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex Space Mirror Memorial.

The ceremony included guests and was open to the general public. Attendees bowed their heads in a moment of silence and placed roses and carnations of a variety of colors at the memorial wall. 


NASA pays tribute to fallen astronauts at the annual Day of Remembrance ceremony held at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex with KSC Director and former astronaut Bob Cabana as keynote speaker at the Space Mirror Memorial. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
The iconic Space Mirror Memorial is a 42-foot-high by 50-foot-wide granite monument that displays the names of the fallen astronauts from Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, as well as others who have lost their lives while on NASA missions or in training.

"Each year, Kennedy employees and guests gather with others throughout NASA to honor those astronauts who have fallen in the pursuit of space exploration,” say KSC officials.
KSC Director and former astronaut Bob Cabana participated in wreath laying at Day of Remembrance tribute to fallen astronauts along with Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach, NASA officials and Sheryl Chaffee at the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Feb. 7, 2019.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
“Today, we honor the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia crews, as well as other members of the NASA family who lost their lives supporting NASA’s mission of exploration. We are deeply grateful to all of them and will always strive to honor their legacy,” NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine in a statement. 
KSC Director and former astronaut Bob Cabana participated in wreath laying at Day of Remembrance tribute to fallen astronauts along with Space Shuttle Launch Director Mike Leinbach, NASA officials and Sheryl Chaffee at the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex on Feb. 7, 2019.  Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com



Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
We must never forget the sacrifices of the lost astronauts who inspire us on new bold journeys of exploration. 

We must be ever vigilant in remembering the lessons learned so as to not repeat the mistakes from the past tragedies.

We must ensure the safety of the astronauts lives and the reliability and robustness of new launch vehicle hardware, rockets and spaceships.  

NASA and its contractors are developing 3 new human space launch systems – SLS/Orion, Falcon 9/Crew Dragon and Atlas V/Starliner - as we forge forward to send astronauts on journeys deeper into space than ever before.

“At NASA we’re developing 3 new human spaceflight vehicles and that’s a unique time in our history,” said Cabana at the ceremony.

“We can never forget the lessons from Apollo, Challenger and Columbia as we move forward and work to remain safe,” Cabana told Space UpClose in an interview after the ceremony.

“We have to keep open communication for anyone with a concern to express their opinion!”

“I speak to new employees every two weeks. And safety is part of the flow as we develop the new human space launch systems,” Cabana told me.  


Forever Remembered Tribute to crews of Shuttles Challenger and Columbia at Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at NASA KSC Day of Remembrance ceremony Feb. 7, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com

Forever Remembered Tribute to crews of Shuttles Challenger and Columbia at Space Shuttle Atlantis Exhibit at NASA KSC Day of Remembrance ceremony Feb. 7, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com



Space Mirror Memorial and tribute wreath for fallen astronauts at NASA KSC Day of Remembrance ceremony Feb. 7, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com




Below is the complete text of the Day of Remembrance 2019 Message from NASA Administrator Jim Bridenstine

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— Message from NASA's Administrator —

NASA's Day of Remembrance inspires thoughtful reflection and gratitude on behalf of the entire NASA Family, the nation and the world. Each time women and men board a spacecraft, their actions carry great risk along with the opportunity for great discoveries and the chance to push the envelope of human achievement. Today, we honor the Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia crews, as well as other members of the NASA family who lost their lives supporting NASA’s mission of exploration. We are deeply grateful to all of them and will always strive to honor their legacy.

On this Day of Remembrance, I will take part in a wreath-laying ceremony at Arlington National Cemetery with family members of our lost friends and colleagues. Across the country, all flags at NASA Headquarters and the NASA centers will be flown at half-staff in memory of our colleagues lost in the cause of exploration.

NASA has learned hard lessons from each of our tragedies, and we will keep that knowledge at the forefront of our work as we continuously strive for a culture of safety that also enables us to still reach for the stars. What President Reagan said of the Challenger crew applies to each of our fallen colleagues, who “honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives.”

The invaluable lessons from our past, and our determination to pay tribute to our crews’ achievements, continue to shape our path forward. Later this year, we will have another way to honor and learn from the tragedies we have faced. In April, NASA’s Apollo Challenger Columbia Lessons Learned Program, in partnership with the Office of Chief Engineer and Academy of Program/Project and Engineering Leadership, will launch the Space Shuttle Columbia National Tour at the Kennedy Space Center. For the first time ever in this format, artifacts of the Space Shuttle Columbia will tour our NASA centers across the country on a new mission to inspire, engage and educate. It is the heartfelt goal of this tour to pay tribute and honor each of our fallen crews by sharing their stories and what we have learned from them so that a whole new generation of leaders and explorers can stand on their shoulders. I hope all of you will have a chance to see it when it visits your region.

The legacy of those we have lost is present every day in our work and inspires generations of new space explorers. Every day, with each new challenge we overcome and every discovery we make, we honor these remarkable men and women. Please join me in working to fulfill their dreams for the future.

Ad astra,
Jim Bridenstine
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Space Mirror Memorial and tribute wreath for fallen astronauts at NASA KSC Day of Remembrance ceremony Feb. 7, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com
Watch for Ken’s continuing onsite coverage of NASA, SpaceX, ULA, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, Northrop Grumman and more space and mission reports direct from the Kennedy Space Center, Cape Canaveral Air Force Station, Florida and Wallops Flight Facility, Virginia.

Stay tuned here for Ken's continuing Earth and Planetary science and human spaceflight news: www.kenkremer.com –www.spaceupclose.com – twitter @ken_kremer – email: ken at kenkremer.com

Dr. Kremer is a research scientist, journalist and photographer based in the KSC area.

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Ken’s photos are for sale and he is available for lectures and outreach events


Space Mirror Memorial and tribute wreath for fallen astronauts at NASA KSC Day of Remembrance ceremony Feb. 7, 2019 at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Credit: Ken Kremer/kenkremer.com/spaceupclose.com




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