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Author
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Topic: Tom Mintier, reported 51L tragedy live on CNN
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Robert Pearlman
Editor Posts: 42988
From: Houston, TX
Registered: Nov 1999
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posted 09-20-2016 02:36 AM
   
Tom Mintier, a veteran CNN correspondent and the former chief of the network's London and Bangkok news bureaus, died Sunday (Sept. 18), reports the Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand. Mintier joined CNN in 1980, and his career highlights included unique live coverage of the space shuttle Challenger disaster on 28 January 1986. Stunned, he described everybody present "holding their breath" following the "huge fireball in the sky." It was some time before NASA confirmed that the spacecraft had in fact been completely destroyed following what was initially termed a "major malfunction." Mintier confirmed a "major catastrophe." According to CNN, Mintier covered more than 25 space missions for the network. |
GACspaceguy
Member Posts: 2476
From: Guyton, GA
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 09-20-2016 07:10 AM
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jasonelam
Member Posts: 691
From: Monticello, KY USA
Registered: Mar 2007
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posted 09-20-2016 07:30 AM
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Jeff
Member Posts: 474
From: Fayetteville, NC, USA
Registered: May 2009
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posted 09-20-2016 07:52 AM
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1202 Alarm
Member Posts: 436
From: Switzerland & France
Registered: Nov 2003
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posted 09-20-2016 10:20 AM
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East-Frisian
Member Posts: 586
From: Germany
Registered: Apr 2005
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posted 09-20-2016 10:42 AM
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Gilbert
Member Posts: 1328
From: Carrollton, GA USA
Registered: Jan 2003
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posted 09-20-2016 11:46 AM
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Kite
Member Posts: 831
From: Northampton UK
Registered: Nov 2009
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posted 09-20-2016 12:29 PM
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randy
Member Posts: 2176
From: West Jordan, Utah USA
Registered: Dec 1999
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posted 09-20-2016 02:40 PM
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dom
Member Posts: 855
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 09-20-2016 02:47 PM
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MSS
Member Posts: 633
From: Poland
Registered: May 2003
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posted 09-20-2016 03:09 PM
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Go4Launch
Member Posts: 542
From: Seminole, Fla.
Registered: Jul 2003
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posted 09-20-2016 04:03 PM
Of particular note is that Tom Mintier and CNN provided the only live TV coverage of the launch (unless you had a C-band dish and could watch NASA Select). Only about 42 percent of US households had cable TV at the time, however, and CNN typically was not on the basic tier. Since the launch was on a weekday morning, I wonder if even 50,000 people had tuned in. |
star51L
Member Posts: 340
From: Vilano Beach, FL, USA
Registered: Aug 2002
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posted 09-20-2016 05:32 PM
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dss65
Member Posts: 1156
From: Sandpoint, ID, USA
Registered: Mar 2003
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posted 09-20-2016 06:43 PM
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Ronpur
Member Posts: 1211
From: Brandon, Fl
Registered: May 2012
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posted 09-20-2016 09:33 PM
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mach3valkyrie
Member Posts: 719
From: Albany, Oregon
Registered: Jul 2006
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posted 09-21-2016 12:26 AM
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dogcrew5369
Member Posts: 750
From: Statesville, NC
Registered: Mar 2009
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posted 09-22-2016 08:46 PM
I can still hear Tom's words clearly that fateful morning on CNN. RIP. |
Wehaveliftoff
Member Posts: 2343
From:
Registered: Aug 2001
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posted 09-27-2016 02:35 AM
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OV-105
Member Posts: 816
From: Ridgecrest, CA
Registered: Sep 2000
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posted 09-27-2016 02:04 PM
.I spent many mornings in 1984 and 1985 watching Mr. Mintier on CNN for the only launch coverage on the TV, especially on the west coast. |
astro-nut
Member Posts: 946
From: Washington, IL
Registered: Jan 2006
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posted 10-01-2016 09:51 AM
.I, too, remember watching Tom on CNN doing the shuttle countdowns and landings. |
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