CHALLENGER - Flying For Me

On Tuesday, January 28, 1986, a crew of seven astronauts boarded the CHALLENGER and prepared for what the media had touted as "The Ultimate Field Trip." This was not going to be any ordinary mission. This was to be a triumphant launch for a historic reason...it would be the first time a private citizen would be joining in for a ride into the tranquility of space.

Christa McAuliffe had been selected out of nearly 11,000 teacher applicants for the ride into orbit. Her enthusiasm and infectious laugh were exactly what NASA had hoped for when President Ronald Reagan determined a teacher would fly. She had what many in the program deemed, "The Right Stuff." She was 37, a mother of two, and taught Social Studies and a course she developed called, "The American Woman." Her excitement was only equalled by her love of teaching.

But, if you are too young to remember this day then this is a story worth discovering. It covers such a broad range of the human condition. There were two women, five men aboard the CHALLENGER. The crew was an eclectic one that was made up of a Chinese American, an African American, a jew, a prodestant, there was even a man named, Smith. They were American.

This video, while it shows its age from the VHS transfer, is still worth watching. I first developed this project with a storyboard which covered 44 pages in a sketch pad. After creating the visual guide on paper, I began mixing the music that I felt would best tell this story and hold the interest of my audience. At first I didn't want to show the actual explosion because I felt it would be in poor taste. But then, after a talk with one of my teachers, it was decided to leave it in as it is after all the reason this video was made.

After mixing the audio, I made an appointment to visit The NASA Glenn Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio. I spent 9 days that I was not in school to review culling several hours of 3/4" video tapes. I then transferred everything from the NASA resource center, and took them back to school. There i went through the storyboards again and edited those from clips I viewed on the tapes. Luckily, I had recorded a special A&E Buiography about Christa McAuliffe that I had was able to incorporate into the finished project.

All total, the video took me 19 hours to edit and assemble into the final version you are about to watch here. While each minute of this video represents an anniversary year; we were approaching the 14th anniversary when I produced this, my goal is to go back and recut this video using the exact same clips with the state-of-the-art digital remastering systems in use today. Doing so will allow me to restore and clean up the audio/video elements so they don't look as "muddy". I would also like to include some special features as well.

Until I remaster this retrospective on the CHALLENGER and her crew, I invite you to join me on this look back at the seven brave American pioneers who made the ultimate sacrifice on the frontier of space. These men and women are my heroes. I honor them every year on January 28th. I hope you will join me and watch this video and remember their lives, their dreams, their mission, and share their legacy with your children.

Education was the reason for this shuttle flight. Failing to learn from the principles, the courage, and the character traits that burned within their pioneering sprirts, would be a disservice to their very sacrifice.

Thank you for watching my short film and remembering with me the crew of the CHALLENGER.

PRESIDENT RONALD REAGAN'S EULOGIES FOR EACH ASTRONAUT:

Dick Scobee 7:42
Michael Smith 8:07
Judy Resnik 8:27
Ellison Onizuka 8:42
Ronald McNair 9:02
Gregory Jarvis 9:28
Christa McAuliffe 9:44



Music used:

FORREST GUMP - Alan Sylvestri
APOLLO 13 - James Horner
DANCES WITH WOLVES - John Barry
FLYING FOR ME - John Denver
NEARER MY GOD TO THEE (Titanic) - James Horner
FLYING FOR ME (Reprise) - John Denver
STAR TREK II: THE WRATH OF KHAN (Amazing Grace) - James Horner
APOLLO 13 (Reprise) - James Horner

Video Created by Tom Tagliente
Copying prohibited without written permission of the producer.