In Solemn Remembrance

Tucson Weather Today

____________________

More than 40 years ago, on Jan. 27, 1967, the crew of Apollo 1 perished in a terrible fire.  Nearly 30 years ago, on Jan. 28, 1986, the crew of space shuttle Challenger died less than two minutes after launch. And more than a decade has passed since the loss of the crew of space shuttle Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003, just minutes before landing.

To honor the astronauts and brave members of the NASA family who gave their lives in the pursuit of space exploration and service to our nation, NASA's Ames Research Center, Moffett Field, California, will hold a Day of Remembrance ceremony in the center’s visitor center, the Exploration Center on Friday, Jan. 31, 2014.

NASA Day of Remembrance Ceremony

_____

Did You Know . . .?

It is possible to die of a broken heart - this condition is called  Stress Cardiomyopothy.

_____

HISTORICAL EVENT

On this day in 1971, Apollo 14, piloted by astronauts Alan B. Shepard Jr., Edgar D. Mitchell, and Stuart A. Roosa, is successfully launched from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on a manned mission to the moon. On February 5, after suffering some initial problems in docking the lunar and command modules, Shepard and Mitchell descended to the lunar surface on the third U.S. moon landing. Upon stepping out of the lunar module, Shepard, who in 1961, aboard Freedom 7, was the first American in space, became the fifth astronaut to walk on the moon. Shepard and Mitchell remained on the lunar surface for nearly 34 hours, conducting simple scientific experiments, such as hitting golf balls into space with Shepard's golf club, and collecting 96 pounds of lunar samples. On February 9, Apollo 14 safely returned to Earth.

_____

WORD FOR TODAY

didactic  [di-DAK-tik]
adjective
1. Intended to instruct.
2. Morally instructive.
3. Inclined to teach or moralize excessively.

_____

CELEBRITY BIRTHDAYS

Carol Elaine Channing

(born January 31, 1921

Kerry Marisa Washington

(born January 31, 1977)

Kelly Lynch

(born January 31, 1959)

Amelia Fiona "Minnie" Driver

(born January 31, 1970)

__________

 "Sit down and put down everything that comes into your head and then you're a writer. But an author is one who can judge his own stuff's worth, without pity, and destroy most of it."
--Collette

NASA TV

This Is Who I Am