In Memorium

This is a week for remembering.
We lost a great author, John Updike.
We lost a great man: my father-in-law, George Kanter, age 83. George was a big supporter of my space and other writing endeavors. He was a Marine, wounded in the invasion of Saipan, a polymer chemist with Rohm & Haas, a husband, a father. He led a full life, always looking forward, traveling for his company around the world, earning publication for his photographs of the Great Wall of China and the Sydney Opera House. Sometimes, though, even a full life is much too short.

And this is NASA's week to remember.

"Don't waste too much time mourning the men who died. Rather thank God that such men lived." - General George S. Patton

I repost here a well-phrased press release from the Director, Johnson Space Center:

A MESSAGE FROM THE CENTER DIRECTOR

At 9:15 a.m. on Thursday, Jan. 29, we will pause to remember the crews of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia. I would like to invite all employees to the Astronaut Memorial Grove to observe this moment of silence in honor of their commitment to NASA's space exploration programs and their bravery. These astronauts and their families will always be a part of NASA's family and our Day of Remembrance will commemorate their collective contributions.

-Apollo 1 (January 27, 1967): Astronauts Roger B. Chaffee, Virgil "Gus" Grissom, and Edward H. White, Jr.

-Challenger (January 28, 1986): Astronauts Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair, Ellison S. Onizuka, Gregory B. Jarvis, and S. Christa McAuliffe.

-Columbia (February 1, 2003): Astronauts Rick D. Husband, William C. McCool, Michael P. Anderson, David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel B. Clark, and Ilan Ramon.

Throughout the day, please feel free to visit the Memorial Grove to celebrate the lives of these great explorers who served their country well.