Challenger disaster
1986 shuttle explosion
The Challenger disaster was the explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger on January 28, 1986, seventy-three seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members including teacher Christa McAuliffe.
The cause was a failed O-ring seal in cold weather.
The phrase often invokes institutional failure or the danger of ignoring engineering warnings: The project became our own Challenger disaster.
- NASAFederal space exploration bureau
- mission controlEarth-based space operations hub
- space shuttleReusable crewed orbital vehicle
- shuttleShort-distance transport
- explosionViolent burst of energy
Christa · McAuliffe · O-ring · launch · Canaveral · tragedy · astronauts · fireball · plume · debris · Morton · Reagan · teacher · space · January · 1986 · crew · booster
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Challenger disasterApollo 11
First manned lunar landing
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challenger, challenge, challenged, challenges, challenging, disaster, disasters, disastrous, disastrously