Data Indicated No Problem to Mission Control ‘Voice’

Steve Nesbitt, known as the “voice of Mission Control,” says it wasn’t until he glanced at a television screen that he realized there was a “major malfunction” in the flight of space shuttle Challenger.

Nesbitt told the San Angelo Standard-Times, in an interview published today, that data he was watching at the time of the shuttle explosion indicated no problem.

Nesbitt recalled the events of Tuesday morning before the National Aeronautics and Space Administration restricted comments from its employees.

“I was looking at the displays, calling out trajectory information--the air speed, distance from the launch pad, altitude.

“I don’t usually look at the (television) monitor. It is a distraction from the data, and there was no indication on the data there was any problem.

“But the person to my left made a remark, and I looked at the television screen. There were fragments dropping and falling away. I said that there appeared to have been a major malfunction. We were looking at it from a television camera, and I wasn’t certain. . . .

“Even the (capsule communicator) was calling up to the crew. It was one of those things that takes several seconds to sink in,” Nesbitt said.