To think NASA were actually considering putting Big Bird from Sesame Street on the space shuttle Challenger

Before they turned to their Teacher in Space Project and went with schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. I can kinda see why they were considering that since they really wanted to appeal to schoolchildren with the Challenger's launch, but that was a terrible idea. Either way, it was a horrible tragedy that shouldn't have happened and an absolute outrage from NASA that it did. But if Big Bird really had perished in that disaster, Jim Henson would have most certainly retired the character. Big Bird isn't just a character, he's a cultural icon performed by a real person — Caroll Spinney who performed as Big Bird from 1969 until 2018, right before his death the following year. Jim Henson would have retired Big Bird out of respect for Sesame Street fans and the man who had been playing him for 15 years at that point. If things hadn't gone wrong with the Challenger and they put Big Bird on for its launch, things could just as easily well because of it with the Big Bird suit presenting a multitude of difficulties and potential safety risks. Which was why they ultimately didn't do it, but how could that have even been a thing NASA seriously put into consideration? I suppose when you think of the negligence that led to the disaster even happening in the first place and again with the Columbia in 2003, it's not too far-fetched they would consider something so stupid.