At the start of Beyonce's new song "XO," you can hear six seconds of audio saying, "Flight controllers here looking very carefully at the situation. Obviously a major malfunction." This is NASA's former public affairs officer, Steve Nesbitt, at the time of the NASA Challenger Explosion. FOX News is reporting that a statement has been issued about this clip, by June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of Challenger Commander Dick Scobee, who is part of the Challenger Center for Space Science Education.
The statement on NASAWatch.com read:
"We were disappointed to learn that an audio clip from the day we lost our heroic Challenger crew was used in the song 'XO'. The moment included in this song is an emotionally difficult one for the Challenger families, colleagues and friends. We have always chosen to focus not on how our loved ones were lost, but rather on how they lived and how their legacy lives on today,"
Beyonce responded:
"My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster. The song 'XO' was recorded with the sincerest intention to help heal those who have lost loved ones and to remind us that unexpected things happen, so love and appreciate every minute that you have with those who mean the most to you...The songwriters included the audio in tribute to the unselfish work of the Challenger crew with hope that they will never be forgotten."
You can watch the video for the song below, and share your thoughts on the use of the audio clip.
