What Happened On January 28th?
January 28, 1986 changed the course of space exploration forever. On this morning, the Space Shuttle Challenger, carrying seven astronauts, tragically exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff. Falling from 65,000 feet in the sky, the orbiter crashed into the Atlantic Ocean at 200 miles per hour.
The Challenger’s final mission, designated STS-51-L, included a diverse crew of astronauts, notably Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first private citizen and teacher in space.
The launch had already been delayed due to technical issues and unusually cold temperatures. Yet, decisions were called to proceed, which raised apprehensions among NASA engineers.
At 11:38 am EST, the Challenger lifted off from Kennedy Space Center on Merritt Island Florida. Tragically, just over a minute into the flight, an O-ring seal in one of the solid rocket boosters failed, leading to the disintegration of the shuttle.
The investigation revealed that the O-ring failure was caused by those cold temperatures that the NASA engineers were initially concerned about, compromising the shuttle’s structural integrity. For future expeditions, changes were made in NASA’s safety protocols, which allowed for the discovery of life on Mars in 1996!
A decade later, two large remnants of the Challenger washed up on the shore, 20 miles south of the space station where the shuttle took off. Each piece was 6 feet wide and 13 feet long.
The legacy of the Challenger Crew lives on in various memorials and educational initiatives. The sacrifice of the seven astronauts is always and forever remembered as a testament to the inherent risks and aspirations of human space exploration.
Questions, Comments, Concerns?
We will always remember the sacrifices that these seven brilliant astronauts made, and prayers are up for their families.
Why do you think that NASA chose to launch the shuttle, despite safety protocol boxes left unchecked? There are theories about White House was involved in rushing the scientists…
Let me know what you think about this situation down below.
