Kennedy Space Center Hosts NASA’s Annual Day of Remembrance

Today is NASA’s Day of Remembrance, a day in which NASA pauses to honor all astronauts and astronaut candidates who have sacrificed their lives while furthering the cause of space exploration and discovery. The ceremony was held this morning at Kennedy Space Center. Originally planned to be held outside near the memorial, it was moved indoors due to a forecast for inclement weather.

Note: The entire ceremony was streamed on Live on Kennedy Space Center’s Facebook page.

After the National Anthem, today’s ceremony began with an invocation by Rabbi Craig Mayers of Temple Beth Sholom, elegantly established the reason for today’s gathering: a remembrance of fallen heroes — individuals who knew the risks inherent in exploring the universe and a reflection on those who are continuing to explore in light of these risks — and those who work to keep them as safe as they can. Remembering that the discoveries that occur during such explorations can bring a better future to all.

His poignant prayer sought favor for those who continue in this pursuit, that the tragedies being remembered today and their lessons learned would serve to keep future explorations safer. He concluded his prayers with the hope that their memory would be carried forward through a continued quest for knowledge and a dedication to serving others.

Standing alongside the banner of the fallen heroes, Kelvin Manning (Deputy Director, Kennedy Space Center) began his remarks, honing in on the gravity of today’s remembrance at Kennedy Space Center. With those words, I realized how easy it is to forget all the people who stand behind our heroes in support. They strive daily to make a risky endeavor less so. While days like today clearly carry forward the memory of the astronauts who have given the ultimate sacrifice in their quest for more knowledge about the universe beyond our own sphere, they also serve as a time of recommitment by those who have chosen to do their best in keeping these risk takers safe as they prepare to once again return to the moon and strive to transport humans even deeper into space.

“These losses change us but we do not accept such sacrifices as a natural cost of progress. Instead we hold these memories close as a reminder of the great responsibility with which we have been entrusted.”

Each year, all 25 of the astronauts on the wall are honored. But with this year being the 55th anniversary of the Apollo I fire accident, the brother of fallen Astronaut Gus Grissom, Lowell Grissom was on hand. 55 years ago today, Kennedy Space center was the site of a fire accident that claimed the lives of Lt Cmdr Robert Chaffey, Lt Col Edward White and Lt Col Virgil Gus Grissom. Lowell Grissom was introduced by Thad Altman, CEO Astronauts Memorial Foundation, to offer a few words.

Lowell recalled how his brother was so disappointed with the workmanship on the vehicle that he had gone so far as to hang a lemon from it. Throughout his remarks, you got the sense Gus was frustrated by decisions made by those he relied on to reduce the risks of his dangerous mission. Lowell recalled how Gus told his folks just a few weeks prior he would be surprised to see it orbit three times even though it was scheduled to be an open-ended mission and joked about the reliability of communications within orbit given their poor performance during recent tests.

Gus always said there was a possibility you could have a catastrophic failure, so you just plan the best you can for all eventualities — you get a well trained crew and you go fly. Lowell recounted that if not for this tragedy these men would have walked on the moon, perhaps Gus would even have been the first step on the moon.

As he concluded his remarks Lowell reminded those gathered that space flight will have failures and his belief that the greatest lesson we can learn from Grissom, White and Chaffey is that failure is impossible for those who refuse to abandon their goals. He encouraged those gathered to continue the exploration of space – including new visits to the moon and also to Mars – in honor of them.

After taking a moment to thank the families of fallen astronauts for the continued support of space exploration and acknowledging various local and state political representatives in attendance, the CEO Astronauts Memorial Foundation Thad Altman announced the public debut of Above and Beyond – a tribute anthem to fallen astronauts – “the great explorers who answer the call, serving humanity for the benefit of all…we honor those who greatly dare to go above and beyond.”

“Above and Beyond” was composed by John Patrick Ryan who also accompanied on piano, he was joined by Jamie Gatchell on trumpet, Tabitha Bennett on cello and it was sung by Bonnie Harrington.

Thad Altman next read through the list of 25 names honored on Kennedy Space Center’s Space Mirror Memorial as Cadet Major Chris Hoffman, Bell Guard, Viera HS Army JROTC sounded a ceremonial bell with each name.

Following the recitation, a wreath was laid by honored guests.

The wreath-laying included other astronaut family members – Sheryl Chaffee & Lowell Grissom along with Kathie Scobee Fulgham & Evelyn Husband-Thompson.

As he concluded the ceremony, Thad Altman recounted that those who don’t learn from the past are doomed to repeat it. He reminded those in attendance that while spaceflight exploration experienced disastrous tragedies it has also featured magnificent successes and asserted that “our own survival as a human species will be dependent upon our ability to go into space. We are meant to be a spacefaring society. It is part of our DNA. It’s a God-given drive that we have as human beings.” He offered appreciation to those who carry that passion and make it happen. And finally, he once again offered appreciation to those who gave everything and whose sacrifice serves now as inspiration for the continuing journey.

The inclement weather never arrived so at the ceremony’s conclusion attendees proceeded to the Space Mirror to lay flowers in memory of the fallen.