Ronald Reagan’s Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger

January 28, 1986 The American shuttle orbiter Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff. Two rubber O-rings, which separates the section of the rocket booster, failed due to the cold temperatures the morning of the launch, leading to an explosion. Seven astronauts were killed.

Speaker Ronald Reagan Born on February 6, th President of the United States of America

Purpose Reagan’s purpose of this speech is to address the nation on the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger. To reach out to everyone who witnessed it and reassure them that we can get through this tragedy as a Nation.

Audience Families of the astronauts Schoolchildren of America United States of America

Pathos “We’ve never had a tragedy like this.” Reagan states that the accident is “truly a national loss.” He talks about how the day is for mourning and remembering, and that sums up how the country was feeling at the time.

Automatic Ethos Reagan establishes credibility, as he is the President of the United States. Speech is given in the Oval Office. He is being broadcasted on television, with millions of people watching.

Tone The tone of his speech was mournful and futuristic. He talks about staying strong as a nation and always remembering the heroes who lost their lives. He talks about going forward in exploration and discovery.

Repetition Reagan repeats the words “shuttle” and “today” multiple times throughout his speech. This puts emphasis on the space shuttle. The many references to “today” emphasizes how this is a moment in history that we will always look back on and will never forget.

Support of NASA Despite the tragedy, Reagan continues to support the space program. “Nothing ends here; our hopes and journeys continue.” The last thought on people’s minds that day was sending more people into space, so by stating that we will continue our journey in space exploration, it really showed the support Reagan has for NASA.

Conclusion In conclusion, Reagan’s speech was very effective because many people were comforted by the words he spoke. NASA is thriving, and that tragic day has never been forgotten.