Honoring Our Fallen Heroes on Day of Remembrance

On February 1, 2021, the nation will come together to honor and remember those who have made the ultimate sacrifice in service of our country. This day is known as the Day of Remembrance and it serves as a reminder that we must never forget the heroes who gave their lives for our freedom. In particular, this year marks 20 years since the Columbia tragedy. On that fateful day in 2003, seven brave astronauts lost their lives when Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated during re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere. The crew included Rick Husband, William McCool, Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Ilan Ramon. The Columbia tragedy was not an isolated incident; it was part of a series of unfortunate events involving space exploration over the past few decades. In 1967 three astronauts were killed in a fire aboard Apollo 1 during a launch rehearsal test at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station in Florida. Then in 1986 seven more astronauts were tragically killed when Space Shuttle Challenger STS-51L exploded 73 seconds after liftoff from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. These tragedies remind us that even with all our advances in technology and science there are still risks associated with space exploration and travel. Despite these risks however, we continue to push forward because of our passion for discovery and exploration—and because we work to never repeat mistakes from our past. On this Day of Remembrance let us take time to remember all those who have made the ultimate sacrifice so that others may live free—including those brave souls who lost their lives aboard Apollo 1, Challenger STS-51L and Columbia STS-107. May they forever be remembered for their courage and dedication to exploring new frontiers beyond Earth’s atmosphere!