The Challenger shuttle disaster that killed 7 crew members was 40 years ago. What happened and how they're being remembered.

A catastrophic failure occurred 73 seconds after liftoff as the shuttle emerged from “Max-Q,” the period of highest mechanical stress in the lower atmosphere. The vehicle broke apart in flight and exploded into a fireball. All seven aboard the shuttle were killed, and searches revealed no sign of the crew.
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40 Years Later: Remembering the Challenger Tragedy

It has been exactly 40 years since the nation looked skyward in hope, only to witness one of the most searing tragedies in American history. On the morning of J

Challenger disaster: Lessons in safety and vigilance 40 years later

🚀 On This Day — 28 Jan In 1986, the Challenger shuttle tragically disintegrated shortly after launch, claiming the lives of seven astronauts. This disaster reshaped our views on spaceflight safety and exploration. #NITheCS #ScienceHistory #SpaceExploration pic.twitter.com/slHHwVrf3n

40 years after Challenger: Lingering guilt and lessons learned

Forty years after the Challenger disaster, NPR explores the engineers' last-minute efforts to stop the launch, their decades of guilt and the vital lessons that remain critical for NASA today.

40 years later, how the Challenger disaster left a scar | Opinion

It was 40 years ago this week that many of us witnessed those fateful 73 seconds of Challenger's final flight. Let's remember those we lost that day.

The ascent of Christa McAuliffe: Hubris and deception in the Challenger Shuttle disaster

In the Challenger shuttle tragedy 40 years ago this week, two technologies – aerospace and television – flexed their muscles and revealed their tragic flaws.