In honor of the members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery for the benefit of all, the agency will host its annual Day of Remembrance Thursday, Jan. 25. Traditionally held on the fourth Thursday in January each year, NASA Day of Remembrance will commemorate the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, and Associate Administrator Jim Free also will host a town hall at the agency’s headquarters in Washington at 1 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 23.

In a dialogue with employees, the leaders will highlight how NASA safety is the cornerstone to achieving mission success. The town hall will air live on the NASA+ streaming service. Coverage also will air live on NASA Television and the agency’s website. Learn how to stream NASA TV through a variety of platforms, including social media.

On Jan. 25, Nelson will lead an observance with Melroy and Free at 1 p.m. EST at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia, which will begin with a traditional wreath-laying ceremony at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier, followed by observances for the Apollo 1, Challenger, and Columbia crews.

“Our annual Day of Remembrance honors the sacrifice of the NASA family who lost their lives in the pursuit of discovery,” said Nelson. “While it is a solemn day, we are forever thankful that our fallen heroes shared their spirt of exploration with NASA, our country, and the world. Today, and every day, we embrace NASA’s core value of safety as we expand our reach in the cosmos for the benefit of all humanity.”

Stennis Space Flight Center, Bay St. Louis, Mississippi 
NASA Stennis and the NASA Shared Services Center (NSSC) will hold a wreath-laying ceremony at 9 a.m. CST with remarks from Stennis’ Associate Director Rodney McKellip and NSSC’s Acting Executive Director Ken Newton.

The agency also is paying tribute to its fallen astronauts with special online content, updated on NASA’s Day of Remembrance, at: https://www.nasa.gov