NASHVILLE, Tenn. — NASA officials say the 1986 accident that led to the doom of the space shuttle Challenger accident and its crew "should never be trivialized," in response to a new song from Beyonce that features an audio sample recorded just after tragedy struck.
The space agency issued a statement late Tuesday after the pop star began to receive criticism from Challenger families and others for using the short sample. It includes the words "major malfunction" as an allusion to a failed relationship.
In a statement to ABC News on Tuesday, Beyonce said that her "heart goes out to families of those lost in the Challenger disaster" and that the song was recorded with the "sincerest intention" to help those who've lost loved ones.
The snippet comes at the beginning of her song "XO" from her new self-titled album.
Full statement from NASA:
"The Challenger accident is an important part of our history; a tragic reminder that space exploration is risky and should never be trivialized. 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."