During the Astronaut Memorial Ceremony, the Florida Space Coast reverently honors the 17 astronauts lost in three NASA tragedies. The ceremony takes place on Saturday, January 26 at 11 AM, at Sand Point Park in Titusville, Florida. (Map & contacts are below.)

The space community marks this special ceremony as the focus for paying our respect to the sacrifice made by the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger STS-51L, and Columbia STS-107 in a beautiful and humble observance to include a Patriotic theme, the placement of a memorial wreath at the American Flag monument and individual flowers on the late astronaut’s plaque, a 21-gun Salute, and Taps.

An astronaut as well as dignitaries from the City of Titusville and other organizations will offer remarks on the men and women who lost their lives pushing the envelope of the space frontier that is so much a part of the lives of the small towns and cities surrounding Kennedy Space Center.

The event is open to the public and sponsored in part by the City of Titusville Flag & Memorial Committee and the American Space Museum. Other important supporters include the Knights of Columbus, the Civil Air Patrol, Titusville Garden Club, and the employees of the City of Titusville and Brevard County.

The three NASA tragedies are not a pleasant memory to revisit, but the loss has always made NASA and its contractors across America rise above the malaise and become stronger and safer. We will never forget these brave spacefarers who lost their lives doing what they loved in efforts to advance our civilization…

Apollo 1, Jan. 27, 1967: Commander Virgil “Gus” Grissom a Mercury and Gemini veteran, Ed White, the first American to walk in space, and Roger Chaffee;

Challenger STS-51L, Jan. 28, 1986: Commander Dick Scobee, Pilot Mike Smith, Mission specialists Judy Resnick, Ellison Onizuka, Greg Jarvis, Ron McNair and first true civilian and teacher in space Christa McAuliffe;

Columbia STS-107, Feb. 1, 2003: Commander Rick Husband, Pilot Willie McCool, Mission specialists Michael Anderson, Kalpana Chawala, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Israel’s first astronaut Ilan Ramon.

Note: The American Space Museum, 308 Pine Street on southbound US 1, will be open with free admission on this memorial Saturday.