European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 1, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes saturday february 1, 1986 545 Polo by Dave Dudlo students ,1 Frankfurt High school listen As teacher Ken Sanuw discusses tuesday s fatal launch of the space shuttle challenger at Cape canaveral Fla. Teacher s Celebration turned into Wake by Mary Hladky education writer Frankfurt Germany As the Sun shone in a brilliantly Blue Florida sky Frankfurt High school teacher Kenneth Vanlew was among hundreds of onlookers celebrating the space shuttle challenger s leap from the launch pad. Gradually the Yelling and cheering stopped. The Celebration turned into a trag Edy Vanlow told members of the High school astronomy club Friday. The Cele bration turned into a  but like Many Oiher visitors Van Lew had no idea horror was unfolding above his head until he heard the National aeronautics and space administration announcer. That obscene announcement there has been a major malfunction " Vanlew said. That seemed a callous thing to say. A major malfunction seven people were dead.". Vanlow had thought about a shuttle Accident. But he had no premonition that this launch would be any different from the 24 preceding successful flights. Instead he had expected to live the experience vicariously through Christa Mcauliffe the Concord n.h., High school social studies teacher selected to be the first teacher in space. Vanlow a physics and chemistry teacher had vied with Mcauliffe and More than 11,000 other teachers for the teacher astronaut Post. He and another teacher fro the department of defense dependents schools Mary smothers of  High school were among 114 semifinalists. Losing out was a huge disappointment. But being named a semifinalist and a space ambassador meant that Vanlow was invited to the Kennedy space Center in Florida to attend a four Day workshop on the space program and to watch the launch. His Job was to spread information about the space program and spark students in to Crest. The tragedy has changed his mis Sion at least temporarily. Vanlow s first Public comments about his experience were made to members of the astronomy club which he sponsors. They Dweller on his thoughts and emotions before and after disaster struck. The ill fated launch was delayed three Days by bad weather. Many space ambassadors had to leave to return to work. Vanlew was determined to see the grand finale and to imagine he was the one soaring into the Hea Vens. I was going to experience the flight vicariously through Christa he said. That worked up to a  through liftoff and thrust i could still imagine myself up there he said. But suddenly the illusion ended. The moment that thing blew up there was no Way 1 could compute  he saw the several plumes of smoke Zigzag crazily across the sky. In Retro s&5 photo by is vol do Loken Vanlew who attended the challenger launch tells the Frankfurt High school s astronomy club about the disaster. Spect he realized that the sound of the boosters going to full thrust sounded More like a Long rumbling Avalanche than the Crip sound he had heard before. What Vanlew needed at that moment was time to grasp what had happened come to terms with it and cry. But time was something neither Nasa officials nor the Media were willing to give. Reporters and cameramen shoved Cam eras into the faces of grieving relatives. Nasa officials politely but firmly prodded teachers and others away from the space Center. They wanted space ambassadors to re turn to their hotel apparently to receive information on How to Tell people about the Accident. But Vanlew had had enough. He insisted on transportation to the Airport As originally planned. That turned into one lesson Learned people need not be manipulated by officials and the press during a crisis. We can t be sheep All the time he said. Many people can be manipulated by the press but you Don t have to be. But another and More profound realization was the tenuous and precious nature of life suddenly life is gone he said. It is a very fragile thing. We need to appreciate it. I Hope you will think about the importance of life and people around you. Even those ratty Little Brothers and Sisters maybe once in a while we should give them a hug. He also asked students to remember that despite the publicity Blitz about the first teacher in space Mcauliffe was not alone in death. "1 think it is important to remember not just one person died out seven people died he  the anguish and horror of the experience Vanlow said he is certain Nasa did not throw away human life by sloppiness. I Don t think anyone would Navo launched that shuttle if they knew seven lives would be lost he said. The manned space program should not be abandoned in a knee Jerk reaction to this disaster he said. Those seven people went into it know ing the risks to do something they wanted to do Vanlew said. Despite those risks and tuesday s explosion Vanlew still would be first in line to go on the next shuttle flight. I d be delighted to go he said. There is no