NASA Day of Remembrance.

 The agency will honor members of the NASA family who lost their lives while furthering the cause of exploration and discovery, including the crews of Apollo 1 and space shuttles Challenger and Columbia, leading up to, and during, the agency's annual Day of Remembrance Thursday, Jan. 26. This year’s NASA Day of Remembrance precedes the 20th anniversary of the Columbia accident on Wednesday, Feb. 1.

NASA Administrator Bill Nelson, Deputy Administrator Pam Melroy, and Associate Administrator Bob Cabana will host a town hall at the agency’s headquarters in Washington at 12:30 p.m. EST on Tuesday, Jan. 24. The trio will host a dialogue with employees about the invaluable lessons learned over the decades and the importance of a strong safety culture. The town hall will stream live on NASA TV, the NASA app, and the agency’s website.

On Jan. 26, Nelson will lead an observance 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 at 1 p.m. EST. The administrator also will send an agencywide message to employees.

"The purpose of NASA's Day of Remembrance is to pause, reflect on, and celebrate the contributions made by the NASA family members who dedicated their lives to the cause of discovery. 

This day will always be solemn, but it also celebrates appreciation. 

We are grateful that the intrepid members of NASA shared their lives with us and improved conditions for people on Earth, added Nelson. 

"We must constantly uphold NASA's primary value of safety as we broaden humanity's reach in this new era of exploration."