Reagan's Challenger address wasn't the first time he spoke to America about its space program. He was actually a longtime fan of space exploration and advancements in the possibilities of space research were a big part of his agenda during his first presidential term.

Almost exactly two years to the day before the Challenger Disaster, Reagan gave a radio address focused on the topic of the space program. A lot of the elements that make up his Challenger address can be identified in this earlier speech.

There are comparisons between historical moments and space flight events, the portrayal of space exploration as the new "frontier" and astronauts as "pioneers," and a conclusion that explicitly references "God."

Of course, the future tragedy of the Challenger would have been unknown to him at the time (he wasn't psychic). The similarities between this speech and his Challenger address just reveal the skill of his speechwriters, who made sure to stick to the themes of Reagan's earlier speeches and reinforce the themes of his presidency.