Remembering the STS-107 crew of Columbia on the anniversary of their launch on 16 January 2003. Remembering Challenger, too, in this 2015 visit to an exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex that honors both crews.

A new exhibit at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex honors the fallen astronauts of STS-51L lost on the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, and STS-107 lost on the Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003.

Two sides of a hallway feature personal items from each seven person crew.

The far wall is adorned with a quote from Ronald Reagan, President at the time of the Challenger accident, “The future doesn’t belong to the fainthearted, it belongs to the brave.”


The Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe remembrance memorials. Greg Jarvis was not an astronaut, but had been selected by his employer, Hughes Aircraft Company’s Space and Communications group, to fly as a Payload Specialist to oversee the operation of Hughes’ equipment in space. Christa McAullife was not an astronaut, either, but had joined 11,000 other teachers in applying for the Teacher In Space Project, which she won putting her on course to be on Challenger that fateful day.

Rick Husband and William McCool, the commander and pilot respectively of STS-107 Columbia. Husband was a religious man so his Bible and an image of the STS-107 crew praying together are featured along with his Tony Lama cowboy boots. McCool enjoyed photography and sports hence the camera and sports shoes.

The crew notebook cover and single page were used by Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli in space, and are recovered items from Columbia’s STS-107 mission. Michael Anderson, the STS-107 Columbia Payload Commander was a fan of Star Trek.

Detail of Anderson’s childhood Star Trek thermos and lunchbox.

Wreckage from the Space Shuttle Challenger – the left side body panel.

Detail of the flag from the Challenger body panel.

The Space Shuttle Columbia cockpit windows.

Detail of Columbia’s cockpit windows.

The Challenger/Columbia crew and Shuttle memorial is located in the Atlantis exhibit building.