Named after the commanding ship of a nineteenth-century scientific expedition that traveled the world, Challenger was the second Space Shuttle orbiter to fly into space after Columbia, and launched on its maiden flight in April 1983.

On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard.

Mar 17, 2025 · Challenger disaster, explosion of the U.S. space shuttle orbiter Challenger, shortly after its launch from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 28, 1986, which claimed the lives of seven astronauts, including Christa McAuliffe, who had won a national screening to become the first teacher in space.

Jan 28, 2021 · The next flight, designated STS-51L, marked the 25th in the program and the 10th for space shuttle Challenger. During the six-day mission, the seven-member crew was to deploy a large communications satellite, deploy and retrieve an astronomy payload to study Halley’s Comet, and the first teacher in space would conduct lessons for ...

Jun 18, 2024 · On January 28, 1986, NASA and the American people were rocked as tragedy unfolded 73 seconds into the flight of Space Shuttle Challenger’s STS-51L mission. Presented below are documents and resources about the accident and its aftermath.

Feb 15, 2010 · The NASA space shuttle Challenger exploded just 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, a disaster that claimed the lives of all seven astronauts aboard.

Feb 3, 2003 · The Challenger shuttle crew, of seven astronauts—including the pilot, aerospace engineers, and scientists—died tragically in the explosion of their spacecraft during the launch of STS-51L from the Kennedy Space Center about 11:40 a.m., EST, on January 28, 1986.

Feb 1, 2022 · The space shuttle Challenger — during its 10th launch – on Jan. 28, 1986, exploded 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crewmembers and changing NASA's space program forever.

Jan 28, 2020 · Thirty-four years ago, NASA experienced an in-flight tragedy when the space shuttle Challenger broke apart shortly after launch, killing all seven crew members aboard.

Jan 25, 2018 · The space shuttle Challenger blew apart some 73 seconds after liftoff from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on January 28, 1986, killing all seven astronauts on board. By: Sarah Pruitt.