Astronaut Memorial Dedicated

A giant black granite “space mirror” that tracks the sun was dedicated Thursday to the memory of 15 fallen astronauts, five years after the Challenger explosion inspired the $6.2-million national monument.

“We dedicate this monument to the memory of strong, courageous, smart and daring astronauts who pursued an adventurous career and who died in peaceful service to their country,” Vice President Dan Quayle said. “Today and forever, the space mirror will send their names into the heavens.”

Four NASA astronauts in T-38 jets roared past in a “missing man” formation, and white doves were released into the sky.

“It was very emotional. I’m still quite choked up, particularly by the flyby. But it was very beautiful,” said Grace Corrigan, whose daughter, schoolteacher Sharon Christa McAuliffe, was one of the seven who died aboard Challenger. On hand were about 150 family members, dozens of active shuttle astronauts, retired space fliers and several thousand aerospace and government officials.

The Astronauts Memorial is a 42.5-foot-high by 50-foot-wide wall made up of 93 granite panels. The names of the fallen astronauts were cut through the slabs and filled with clear plastic.

The 70,400-pound wall is mounted on a computer-controlled turntable that rotates slowly through the day so that sunlight constantly falls on mirrors behind the black slabs and is reflected through the names of the astronauts.