怀念挑战者号宇航员（2/2）

WereberMichaelSith,whoearnedenoughdalsasabatpilottoverhischest,cdgtheNavyDistguishedFlygCross,threeAirMedals,andtheVietnaseCrossofGalntrywithSilverStargratitudefroanationhefoughttokeepfree.

WereberJudithResnik,knownasJ.R.toherfriends,alwayssilg,alwayseagertoakeantribution,fdgbeautytheicshepyedonherpianoheroff-hours.

WereberEllisonOnizuka,whoasachildrunngbarefootthroughtheffeefieldsandacadaiagrovesofHawaiidreadofsodaytravelgtotheMoon.BeganEagleSut,hesaid,hadhelpedhisoartotheipressiveachieventsofhiscareer.

WereberRonaldMair,whosaidthathelearnedperseverahettonfieldsofSouthCaro.Hisdreawastoliveaboardthespacestation.Perfexpertsandpyghissaxophoheweightlessnessofspaestation.

WereberGregoryJarvis.Onthatill-fatedflighthewascarrygwithhiafgofhisuyBuffalo,NewYork—asalltoken,hesaid,tothepeoplewhounlockedhisfuture.

WereberChristaMcAuliffe,whocapturedtheiagationoftheeion;spirgwithherpitentofthisjourneyweridetothefuture.

Wewillalwaysreberthe,theseskilledprofessionals,stistsandadventurers,theseartistsandteachersandfailynandwon;andwewillcherisheachoftheirstories,storiesoftriuphandbravery,storiesoftrueAriheroes.

Onthedayofthedisaster,ournationheldavigilbyourtelevisios.Inonecruelontourexhirationturohorror;wewaitedandwatchedandtriedtoakesenseofwhatwehadseen.ThatnightIlisteoacall-prograontheradio;peopleofeveryagespokeoftheirsadnessandthepridetheyfeltourastronauts.AcrossAricawearereachgout,holdghands,andfdgfortoneanother.

Thesacrificeofyourlovedoneshasstirredthesoulofournationandthroughthepaourheartshavebeenopeoaprofoundtruth:Thefutureisnotfree;thestoryofallhuanprogressisoneofastruggleagastallodds.WelearnedagathatthisArica,whichAbrahaLlncalledthest,besthopeofanoh,wasbuiltonheroisandedorrequired,andwhogaveitlittlethoughtofworldlyreward.

Wethkbacktothepioneersofanearliertury,thesturdysoulswhotooktheirfailiesandtheirbelonggsaouttothefrontieroftheAriWest.Oftewithterriblehardship.AlongtheonTrail,youuldstillseethegravearkersofthosewhofellontheway.Butgriefonlysteeledthetothejourneyahead.

Todaythefrontierisspadtheboundariesofhuanknowledge.Sotiswhenwereachforthestars,wefallshort.Butwetpickourselvesupagaandpressoethepa.Ournationisdeedfortuhatwestilldrawonsereservoirse,characterandfortitude—thatwe’restillblessedwithheroeslikethoseofthespaceshuttleChallenger.

DickSbeekhateveryunchgofaspaceshuttleisateologicaliracle.Andhesaid,“Ifsothgeverdoesg,Ihopethatdoesn’tantheendtothespaceshuttleprogra.”EveryfailyberItalkedtoaskedspecificallythatweheprogra,thatthatiswhattheirdepartedlovedonewouldwantaboveallelse.Wewillnotdisappotthe.

TodayweproiseDickSbeeandhiscrewthattheirdrealiveson,thatthefuturetheyworkedsohardtobuildwillbeereality.ThededicatednandwonofNASAhavelostsevenbersoftheirfaily.Still,they,too,tfeaheadwithaspaceprograthatiseffective,safea,butboldanditted.

Manwillntuehisofspace.Toreachoutfornewgoalsandevergreaterachievents—thatisthewayweshallorateoursevenChallengerheroes.

Dick,Mike,Judy,El,Ron,GregandChrista—yourfailiesandyouruntryournyourpassg.Webidyougoodbye;wewillneverfetyou.Forthosewhoknewyouwellandlovedyou,thepawillbedeepandendurg.Anation,too,willlohelossofhersevensonsanddaughters,hersevengoodfriends.Wefdnsotiononlyfaith,forweknowourheartsthatyouwhoflewsohighandsoproudnowakeyourhobeyondthestars,safeGod’sproiseofeternallife.

MayGodblessyouallandgiveyoufortthisdifficultti.