January 28, 1986

Ladies and gentlemen,
Today is a day for mourning and remembering.
They had a hunger to explore the universe and discover its truths.
And they had that special grace,
That special spirit that says, «Give me a challenge, and I’ll meet it with joy.»
The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us with the manner in which
they lived their lives.
We will never forget them as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye
And slipped the surly bonds of earth… To touch the face of God.