The Challenger

This is what the Challenger looked like before it took off.

The shuttle was constructed by using a body frame (STA- 099) that had initially been built as a test article. STA-099 was not originally intended for spaceflight, but NASA found that recycling it would be less expensive than refitting the prototype orbiter Enterprise (OV-101) to be spaceworthy, as originally planned.

Challenger (and the orbiters built after it) had fewer tiles in its Thermal Protection System than Columbia. Most of the tiles on the payload bay doors, upper wing surface and rear fuselage surface were replaced with Dupont white nomex felt insulation. This modification allowed Challenger to carry 2,500 lb (1,100 kg) more payload than Columbia. Challenger was also the first orbiter to have a Head-up system for use in the descent phase of a mission.

After its first flight, Challenger quickly became the workhorse of NASA's Space Shuttle fleet, flying far more missions per year than Columbia. In 1983 and 1984, Challenger flew on 85% of all Space Shuttle missions. Even when the orbiters Discovery and Atlantis joined the fleet, Challenger remained in heavy use with three missions a year from 1983-85. Challenger, along with Discovery, was modified at Kennedy Space Center to be able to carry the Centaur-G upper-stage in its payload bay. Had STS-51-L been successful, Challenger's next mission would have been the deployment of the Ulysses probe with the Centaur to study the polar regions of the Sun.

Challenger's many spaceflight accomplishments included the first American woman, African-American, and Canadian in space, three Spacelab missions, and the first night launch and landing of a Space Shuttle. Challenger was also the first space shuttle to be destroyed in an accident during a mission. The collected debris of the vessel are currently stored in decommissioned missile silos at Cape Canavaral Air Force Station. From time to time, further pieces of debris from the orbiter wash up on the Florida coast. When this happens, they are collected and transported to the silos for storage. Because of her early loss, Challenger was the only space shuttle that never wore the NASA "meatball" logo. 

 

This is what the Challenger looked like as it took off.

This is what it looked like, 73 seconds into takeoff.

Pieces of the Challenger were found on beaches all over.

    Many people were watching the Challenger as it took off on that fateful day.  On January 28, 1986, the United States stood still, staring at the smoke and flames filling the sky.  The people watching on television stared in disbelief a their television screens, not moving a muscle. For one brief moment, the United States stopped.

       As soon as the people started talking, they began to wonder what had caused the terrible explosion.  The bystanders began questioning the officials standing near them.  They later found out that the explosion had been caused by an O-ring seal that had failed on liftoff.

    The Challenger Space Shuttle had the Challenger Orbiter, designated OV-099, an External Tank (known as the ET) containing liquid hydrogen fuel and liquid oxygen oxidizer, and two Solid Rocket Boosters (known as SRB's) on it.  Disintegration of the shuttle stack began 73 seconds into its flight after an O-ring seal in its right solid rocket booster (known as an SRB) failed at liftoff. The O-ring failure caused a hole in the SRB joint it sealed, allowing a flare of pressurized hot gas from within the solid rocket motor to reach the outside and impinge upon the adjacent SRB attachment hardware and external fuel tank. Roughly 90 seconds into the launch, the SRB breach flare led to the disconnection of the right-hand SRB's rear attachment and the (structural) faliure of the external tank, dumping the liquid hydrogen fuel load all at once and causing a massive explosion as this fuel was immediately ignited by various present flame sources. Aerodynamic forces promptly broke up the orbiter after this event caused loss of attitude control. The crew compartment and many other vehicle fragments were eventually recovered from the ocean floor after a lengthy search and recovery operation. The crew were probably killed by impact of their crew compartment with the ocean surface, although they might have suffered lethal injuries from the forces of the disintegration.

Many viewed the launch live due to Christa McAuffe, the first member of the Teacher in space project. Media coverage of the accident was extensive: one study reported that 85 percent of Americans surveyed had heard the news within an hour of the accident. The Challenger disaster has been used as a case study in many discussions of engineering safety and workplace ethics and inspired the 1990 television movie, Challenger.