"On the morning of January 28, 1986, seven crew members were killed when the space shuttle Challenger broke apart a little over a minute after it launched. Those killed included five NASA astronauts, one payload specialist, and a civilian schoolteacher. This mission was Challenger's 10th, but the shuttle exploded due to a design flaw in a seal that was exacerbated by cold temperatures on launch day."
"Challenger was the second shuttle to reach space, which it did in April 1983. It also sent the first African-American astronaut into space, completed the first in-flight capture and repair of a satellite, and launched the first US woman in space. The 1986 disaster marked a turning point for NASA. An investigation after the explosion found that many engineers and astronauts believed NASA was pushing its programs forward at breakneck speed, without sufficient funding or testing."
On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart a little over a minute after launch, killing all seven crew members, including a civilian schoolteacher. The explosion resulted from a design flaw in a seal that was worsened by unusually cold temperatures at liftoff; a joint in a rocket booster failed and the external fuel tank collapsed. Challenger had completed notable milestones, including the first African-American and first US woman in space and in-orbit satellite repair. The disaster prompted an investigation that found organizational and testing shortcomings, after which NASA added internal checks and stopped sending civilians on risky shuttle missions.
Read at Business Insider
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