The Shuttle Challenger disaster

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the Shuttle Challenger disaster. On Tuesday, January 28, 1986 at 11:38 a.m., the Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing its seven crew members.


Moments before the Challenger disintigrated.

Onboard were Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis & Judith Resnik. This was the worst 'space' disaster since the Apollo 1 fire in 1967, only equalled by the shuttle Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003.


Note the puff of grey smoke


In 2004, President George W. Bush conferred posthumous Congressional Space Medals of Honor to all 14 astronauts lost in the Challenger and Columbia accidents.



The Space Shuttle Challenger Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery, where some remains were buried.

Dan Emplit WBFD