NASA Glenn Holds Day of Remembrance

NASA observed its annual Day of Remembrance on Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for the benefit of humanity. The annual event acknowledges the crews of Apollo 1 and the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia. NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro and […]

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An astronaut in a flight suit, left, and NASA’s acting administrator, right, adjust a large wreath with red and white carnations to a stand in front of a memorial marker.

NASA astronaut Kayla Barron, left, and NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro place a wreath at the Space Shuttle Columbia Memorial as part of NASA’s Day of Remembrance at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

Credit: NASA/Bill Ingalls

NASA observed its annual Day of Remembrance on Jan. 23, honoring the members of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of exploration and discovery for the benefit of humanity. The annual event acknowledges the crews of Apollo 1 and the space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.

NASA Acting Administrator Janet Petro and astronaut Kayla Barron participated in an observance at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia. Wreaths were laid in memory of the men and women who lost their lives in the quest for space exploration.

The acting director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center stands on stage in front of a podium with a NASA emblem and addresses an audience of Glenn employees. The Apollo I mission patch is displayed on a video screen behind him.

Acting Director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center Kelvin Manning shares insights during Glenn’s NASA Day of Remembrance Observance. He talks about the lessons learned that resulted in increased measures for astronaut safety.

Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna

Several agency centers also held observances for NASA Day of Remembrance. NASA’s Glenn Research Center in Cleveland hosted an observance on Jan. 28 with remarks from Center Director Dr. Jimmy Kenyon and a keynote address from the acting director of NASA’s Kennedy Space Center in Florida, Kelvin Manning.

Kenyon reflected on the loss of the astronauts and the impact on their families. A large part of honoring their legacy, he said, is committing to a culture of safety awareness and practices. Learning what went wrong is vital to safely moving forward into the future. He then introduced a video recognizing the fallen heroes.

A woman stands at the back of the auditorium holding a trumpet and playing Taps.

NASA Glenn Research Center’s Amanda Shalkhauser plays Taps prior to a moment of silence during Glenn’s NASA Day of Remembrance Observance.

Credit: NASA/Sara Lowthian-Hanna

Manning, who worked with the families of the Apollo I astronauts to learn their stories and honor their legacy through an exhibit at NASA Kennedy, shared insights into the causes of the tragedy. He talked about the lessons learned through the investigation that resulted in increased measures for astronaut safety.

Kenyon then carried a memorial wreath to the front of the stage. NASA Glenn’s Amanda Shalkhauser played Taps, which was followed by a moment of silence.