{"id":800381,"date":"2026-01-28T02:52:29","date_gmt":"2026-01-28T07:52:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=800381"},"modified":"2026-01-28T02:52:29","modified_gmt":"2026-01-28T07:52:29","slug":"challenger-disaster-40-years-ago-today","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spaceweekly.com\/?p=800381","title":{"rendered":"Challenger disaster: 40 years ago today"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\nA photo of the Challenger crew, taken on January 9, 1986, during training at the Kennedy Space Center. From left to right: Christa McAuliffe (teacher in space) with astronauts Gregory Jarvis, Judith Resnik, Dick Scobee (mission commander), Ronald McNair, Mike Smith (pilot), and Ellison Onizuka. Image via NASA.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
January 28, 1986<\/h3>\n
On this date 40 years ago, we lost the seven crew members of the Space Shuttle Challenger (mission STS-51-L) when the shuttle suffered a catastrophic structural failure just 73 seconds after launch. A failed O-ring seal in the right solid rocket booster caused the tragedy. The spacecraft disintegrated over the Atlantic Ocean, off the coast of central Florida.<\/p>\n
The crew members<\/h3>\n
The Challenger crew were: Gregory B. Jarvis, a payload specialist Sharon Christa McAuliffe, teacher in space Ronald E. McNair, mission specialist Ellison S. Onizuka, mission specialist Judith A. Resnik, mission specialist Francis R. (Dick) Scobee, commander Michael J. Smith, pilot<\/p>\n
Cause of the Challenger disaster<\/h3>\n
Later it was learned that the O-ring failure had caused a breach in the solid rocket booster joint it was supposed to seal. The breach allowed pressurized hot gas from within the solid rocket motor to reach the outside. The hot gas impinged upon the adjacent solid rocket booster attachment hardware and external fuel tank. And this impingement, in turn, led to the separation of the right-hand solid rocket booster\u2019s aft attachment and the structural failure of the external tank. <\/p>\n
Aerodynamic forces then broke up the orbiter.<\/p>\nSpace shuttle Challenger lifted off from Launch Complex 39B, Kennedy Space Center, at 11:38 EST (16:38 UTC) on January 28, 1986. Image via NASA\/ Wikimedia Commons.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
Bottom line: The space shuttle Challenger suffered a catastrophic structural failure just 73 seconds into its flight, after an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster (SRB) failed at liftoff. R.I.P Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis and Judith Resnik.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n
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Deborah Byrd<\/h4>\n
View Articles\n <\/p><\/div>\n
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About the Author:<\/h6>\n
Our Editor-in-Chief Deborah Byrd works to keep all the astronomy balls in the air between EarthSky’s website, YouTube page and social media platforms. She’s the primary editor of our popular daily newsletter and a frequent host of EarthSky livestreams. Deborah created the EarthSky radio series in 1991 and founded EarthSky.org in 1994. Prior to that, she had worked for the University of Texas McDonald Observatory since 1976, and created and produced their Star Date radio series. She has won a galaxy of awards from the broadcasting and science communities, including having an asteroid named 3505 Byrd in her honor. In 2020, she won the Education Prize from the American Astronomical Society, the largest organization of professional astronomers in North America. A science communicator and educator since 1976, Byrd believes in science as a force for good in the world and a vital tool for the 21st century. “Being an EarthSky editor is like hosting a big global party for cool nature-lovers,” she says.<\/p>\n<\/p><\/div>\n<\/p><\/div>\n
![\"Space](\"https:\/\/earthsky.org\/upl\/2020\/01\/STS-51-L-Challenger-space-shuttle-liftoff.jpg\")