I had something else on my mind when we recently observed the fifteenth anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster, so I didn't tell you what I recall of that day. But I do recall it, quite well.

I was working for Non-Profit Agency #1 in those days. One of the people involved with the agency at the time was a science teacher in the local schools. He had heard about the "Teacher in Space" program, and had applied. I typed a recommendation from an Agency Honcho for him, in fact. Needless to say, he was not selected to be the teacher on the Challenger flight.

He was also taking some graduate courses, and had a meeting with one of his professors the day of the launch. He often came by the Agency when he had such meetings, so it wasn't unusual to see him. He came into my office to say hello, and on his way out, he turned back and said, "Did you hear about Challenger?"

I said I hadn't heard anything, thinking he was going to tell me its launch had been delayed because of the weather. Of course, that wasn't his news at all.

Fifteen years later, that still gives me chills.