The "Space Shuttle Challenger Disaster Address" was originally delivered to a television audience of all ages, many of whom were shocked by the events of the day.

When Peggy Noonan wrote the speech in the few hours between the Challenger's demise and the President's broadcast from the White House, she said she, "…kind of figured the entire nation had seen an auto accident" (source).

Her goal was to construct a speech that would help Reagan to calm a distressed nation without condescending to anyone, be it children or the elderly.

There are varying accounts about how the speech was initially received in the White House. Reviews were mixed about whether it rose to the occasion. Some thought it was great; others thought it was insubstantial and simple.

As the story goes, Reagan considered the speech a flop after his appearance to the entire country, leaving Noonan feeling like a total failure.

However, after the broadcast, both president and speechwriter received heaps of praise, both publicly and privately. Even crooner of yesteryear, old blue-eyed Frank Sinatra, called up Ronald Reagan (because they were pals) to congratulate him on its success. (Source)

There's a reason Reagan's Challenger Disaster address is now considered the "eighth-best American speech of the 20th century." The text is still highly regarded as being the perfect response to the tragic event. (Source)

A lot of ink is spilled examining Reagan's interpretation of the speech whenever a major anniversary of the disaster rolls around, and it continues to be applauded for its emotional sensitivity and rhetorical intelligence.