BREVARD COUNTY, Fla. — Thursday marked a day of special significance for NASA.

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Day of Remembrance, a time to honor astronauts who lost their lives to expand our knowledge. The day also serves as a reminder not to repeat the mistakes of the past.

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The last Thursday in January has become a time to reflect on three of the most tragic moments in NASA’s history: the Apollo 1 fire on Jan. 27, 1967, the Challenger disaster on Jan. 28, 1986 and the loss of the space shuttle Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003.

“It’s important to humanity that we explore, and I just want to make sure that we do it in the best way possible, and that we do not repeat the mistakes of the past,” NASA associate administrator Bob Cabana said.

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See photos of today’s event in the gallery below.

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NASA Day of Remembrance NASA Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy hugs NASA Associate Administrator Bob Cabana during the NASA Day of Remembrance Employee Safety Town Hall, Tuesday, Jan. 24, 2023, at the Mary W. Jackson NASA Headquarters building in Washington. Photo Credit: (NASA/Keegan Barber) (NASA/Keegan Barber/(NASA/Keegan Barber))

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