Day of
Remembrance
Kennedy Space Center honors fallen space explorers BY DANIELLE SEMPSROTT
D
uring NASA’s Annual Day of Remembrance, Kennedy Space Center employees and guests gathered at the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy’s Visitor Complex in Florida, Feb. 7, 2019, to honor all astronauts who have given their life in the pursuit of space exploration. The observance pays tribute to the crew members of Apollo 1, space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, and all other members of the NASA family who have perished in the line of duty. Thad Altman, president and chief executive officer of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation (AMF), opened the ceremony stating that every year “we gather to remember those who have paid the ‘ultimate sacrifice,’” but that we also work every day of the year for them. “We stop and remember, but we continue to fight and work toward the destiny they stood for and the dream of human exploration,” he said.
A memorial wreath stands before the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex during this year’s Day of Remembrance ceremony, Feb. 7, 2019. The memorial, a 42-foot-high by 50-foot-wide granite monument, 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. Photo Credit: NASA/Kim Shiflett
During the ceremony, Altman quoted Gus Grissom, former Apollo 1 astronaut who perished during a preflight test when a fire broke out in the command module in 1967, on the risks of spaceflight and the importance of perseverance. “’If we die, we want people to accept it. We’re in a risky business, and we hope that if anything happens, if it happens to us during flight, that we will not delay our program. That we will continue. The conquest of space is worth the risk.’” Also speaking during the ceremony was Center Director Bob Cabana, who recognized those heroes and stressed the importance of continued space exploration. “Many of the names on that mirror were close friends of mine, and I miss them. But they’re not forgotten,” said Cabana. “It’s really important we continue to move forward and explore; that we don’t stop.”