Beyoncé's inclusion of a sample audio track from the doomed Challenger mission has sparked an interesting debate online. While many netizens are arguing about the meaning behind the controversial sampling, NASA has released an official response to Beyoncé's new album. Unsurprisingly and perhaps justifiably so, it seems that NASA is not amused.
The problem started when Beyoncé included a short 6-second sample of audio captured during the disastrous Challenger space shuttle mission. The sample was taken from an official NASA announcement right after the Challenger burst into flames and it was included as part of an intro to the song XO. While the track was used in an out-of-context manner, officials from NASA have deemed the track as insensitive to the lives lost during the fateful mission.
"The Challenger accident is an important part of our history; a tragic reminder that space exploration is risky and should never be trivialized," NASA press secretary Lauren Worley said in a statement to Associated Press. "NASA works every day to honor the legacy of our fallen astronauts as we carry out our mission to reach for new heights and explore the universe." The statement was issued shortly after Beyoncé offered a statement to ABC News regarding the song's meaning and her reasons for using the audio clip from the challenger mission. Despite the explanation, no official apology was given.
"My heart goes out to the families of those lost in the Challenger disaster," says Beyoncé. "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 the hope that they will never be forgotten."
Given the fact that the Challenger mission caused the loss of 7 lives, it continues to be a sore spot for NASA as well as the families that the departed crewmembers left behind. In addition to this, it has left an indelible mark in the nation's illustrious space exploration program. In fact, NASA officials are not the only ones affected by Beyoncé's new album. The widow of the commander of the Challenger mission has come forward with a statement to ABC. According to June Scobee Rodgers, she was disappointed with Beyoncé's use of the audio sample describing the experience as "emotionally difficult."
