http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Space_Shuttle_Challenger_disaster crew: Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik. I remember it well. I was 13.
I was in college and I remember and visualize exactly where I was standing when I heard the news - the bright, blue sky filled library lobby, as I departed from the windowless bowels of the government documents department.
I watched it on TV. It was horrible. What I remember most is Christa walking with that jump in her step, so proud to be doing this.
Sitting at a drafting table at my first real engineering job when it was on the radio... the whole office was shocked beyond belief.
I was sitting in my compiler construction class, in college, a student burst into the classroom and told us the news, everyone sat in stunned silence. It was that much worse that Christa was on the flight, almost like the other astronauts who were the dedicated life-long military types assume that risk, but that this assumed risk somehow didn't apply to her.
In college as well, came home after class and said "What's up?" to one of my house mates. His reply was "You mean what's down!" I asked what he was talking about, and that's when he told me. I had no idea it had happened at the time, but spent the rest of the afternoon watching the news coverage. Remember it like it was yesterday...hard to believe it's been 30 years.
My first major life moment as a 3rd or 4th grader. They rolled the tvs into the classroom and we saw it happen live. Too young to grasp the impact but remember our teachers crying.
In college as well. Got back from a class and a roommate was glued to the tiny TV, and would not move for several hours. I can't remember for sure, but CNN may have recently started operation.
Buying parts for my 240Z at the local Datsun dealer. We all just stood there and shook our heads as we watched it on TV.
Walking to class on CalTech campus, no smart phones or instant updates but we were associated with JPL and the news spread like wildfire. Everything shut down. An impossible day for a lot of people and their dreams.
I will never forget it ... I was walking to class in college in Hampden-Sydney, Virginia, and I stopped by the campus student center to grab a cup of coffee. The big screen TV was showing the launch live, so I stopped to watch. I dropped my coffee on the floor when it happened. Couldn't think straight the rest of the day. May the crew rest in peace.
Was in the Navy, at a fire fighter training class. Had classroom instruction that morning, recall clear as day teaching staff turning on TV and we all watched the replay over and over....sad day.