The Worst Part Of The Challenger Disaster Wasn't What You Think

From faulty O-rings to deadly weather and foreboding warnings. The engineers closest to the Challenger Space Shuttle knew what was wrong - so why didn’t NASA step in?
#Disaster #Challenger #NASA
The O-rings | 0:00
18 degree weather | 1:39
String of delays | 2:56
The disaster | 4:11
The trapped crew | 5:12
The grim recovery | 6:15
Engineers felt responsible | 7:27
The crew was conscious? | 8:25
Read Full Article: www.grunge.com/197368/the-wor...

[@GrungeHQ]

What do you think of NASA's decisions leading up to the launch of the Challenger?

[@rozzgrey801]

I would call it murder, they knew their problems could kill astronauts but ignored it. The mission leaders who made the decision to launch should have been jailed.

[@JackieontheTrunk]

Sounds very similar to Boeing and their decisions on the 737 MAX.

[@UncleJimsTarot]

Someone should have gone to jail.

[@Niggleblade1986]

The worst part is that theyre all still alive 🙄

[@cosmoshfa88savant66]

@@parkerbohnn 🙃

[@C.O._Jones]

The most awful thing I noticed at the time was just after the explosion, the families of the astronauts who had been watching the launch stopped cheering and looked confused. In the background audio, I could hear some news cretin shouting, “Get the cameras on the families! Get the cameras on the families!” to ensure capturing the moment it dawned on them exactly what had happened. 37 years later, and that *still* makes me angry.

[@AKHWJ3ST]

EVERYTHING about that launch makes me angry.

[@davidstaudohar6733]

I was living in Jenson Beach t🌴🌊🏖️⛱️🌴 We drove up to coa coa beach , and was watching the launch from a water front deck at a seafood restaurant , 🚀☀️☀️. This brings back horrible horrible memories ,, Rest in Eternal Peace brave patriotic astronauts 🇺🇸✝️🙏 , ‼️

[@kurtzembower9297]

Egatistcal assholes money money money I hope that asshole is burning in hell how selfish in thinking

[@scottjustscott3730]

Should've never flown that day. The horrible thing is EVERYBODY knew it. I was watching with my classmates and teacher in the sixth grade. If I think about it now I have no memory of the rest of that day. *I guess that's not really that unusual. That was a long long long long LONG time ago.

[@mamacat63]

@@AKHWJ3ST agreed. It makes me absolutely furious that those poor families were subjected to that horrific realizations aired worldwide live, as it happened. And that footage would be replayed over and over again and again solely for ratings.

[@augustuswayne9676]

The worse part about the accident was that it happened at all . NASA knew it was very risky to launch in cold weather .

[@thecannonball1000]

L m myG ml l .. L . P moll Omaha .

[@comet1227]

Reagan wanted a point of pride at the State of the Union address that night. Teacher in space was that for him.

[@cor2250]

True indeed

[@vintvarner16]

Thing was too Alan McDougal thought it would blow up on the pad , only reason it didn't was there was some debris grain that temporarily sealed the gap. Mr McDougall even said "we got lucky", then 73 seconds later

[@dennisketterer814]

I remember watching it. The challenger blows apart into pieces. All of those astronauts died instantly. What a way to go.

[@Tim22222]

One objection: The O-rings were not faulty, they were MISUSED. They were never intended to be used in such cold temperatures, and the engineers said so.

[@nikolaivista920]

True. But because of propaganda and budget concerns, they rushed the launch. And the crew paid for it with their lives. The crew were still alive after the explosion. The main cabin was not destroyed until it hit the water. Once impact with the ocean was made (at a super high speed) that's when main cabin was demolished and the crew died. An estimated 1 to 2 minutes of torturous hell the crew went thru while it was falling down. Sad.😥

[@WillowRaven7]

@Tim22222 -- Except the engineers had been telling NASA about problems with the O-Rings since, approximately, 1977. They were quite aware. They had been warned, more than once, to not use them, to either repair the issue or get new O-Rings. This wasn't an "oversight" or having some sort of positive outlook and forgetting the reality of what kind of danger NASA had put it's crews in. All this stuff about O-Rings and NASA didn't come out (publicly) until way AFTER the Challenger disaster. And, from my understanding, the crews were never told about this issue before boarding the shuttle. All those delays should have been a big, huge, waving, red flag.... and it got ignored. This disaster was COMPLETELY preventable. And, to be honest, so was the disaster of the Space Shuttle Columbia. It also had some design issues that NASA had been warned of, more than once, to attend to, to fix it, and they never did. And another crew, Columbia's, also paid with their lives.

[@adamb89]

Misused O-ring...sounds like the aftermath of taco tuesday

[@scottcharney1091]

There's a brief shot at the beginning of the video of a woman in blue watching the liftoff. That's Barbara Morgan, Christa McAuliffe's backup. They had become close friends during the training process. In 2007, she flew on a shuttle launch, as part of the Educator Astronaut Program. Thus, twenty-one years after Christa McAuliffe died, Barbara Morgan essentially finished the mission for her friend.

[@Paul_dw_Kersey]

This is the best example of what happens when management ignores engineers.

[@farmhome904]

Problem is that, with something as complex as a shuttle launch, there are countless engineers, technicians, meteorologists, etc. involved. If management gave them all effective veto power, they would never get a bird off the ground. Look at how many delays they'd already had, mostly from boys crying "wolf!".

[@Paul_dw_Kersey]

@@farmhome904 Everything has to be vetted through the “chain of command”. When the top engineers say no, you’d better listen.

[@farmhome904]

@@Paul_dw_Kersey Too many top engineers in the game.... You can see that the Shuttle Program was pretty much failing even before this disaster by the fact that this was the 25th launch going into the 6th year. They needed to launch AT LEAST monthly to be economically justifiable. That's why they had a four shuttle fleet. But there was always somebody yelling to scrub every launch for some reason. After you've delayed for an anomalous reading in the redundant sensor of a noncritical subsystem, a weather forecast that was completely wrong, etc., and your whole program is becoming a bad joke, I could kinda' sympathize with the inclination to say "Screw it! We're going now!" Funny that the crummy engineer who designed a billion dollar space plane that couldn't fly due to a chilly morning gets to play hero in this story.

[@peabody3000]

@@farmhome904 the booster engineers spent hours in teleconference with NASA management before launch, pleading to scrub the launch due to the exact problem that destroyed challenger. the top management wore them down the entire time until the engineers had gone into every technical detail possible about the cold O rings and finally had nothing more to say. nothing fell through the cracks, it was just pure mismanagement.

[@farmhome904]

@@peabody3000 Let's not make heroes out of the guys who designed a billion dollar space plane that couldn't cope with a morning frost... The time to deal with the o-ring problem was BEFORE the shuttle was stacked and on the pad where every delay costs millions and the brass was under collosal pressure the get that bird off the ground.

[@perrythomasmusic3709]

I knew the Challenger Crew very well and I had just started working for the Space Program, about three months prior to the disaster. Also, one of the crew members went to our church, so it was a depressing day that I will never forget. We had to do what is called "bench reviews" with the crew, usually fairly close to the launch date, so we would see them fairly often, depending on which one of our engineers were assigned to the flight. I remember thinking that they shouldn't attempt this launch in such cold temperatures. I am an engineer, and o-rings are pretty much a common problem with just about everything that contains an o-ring, when it comes to certain high or low temperatures. I was sort of expecting the launch to be scrubbed again, but it wasn't. I figured that MT new what they were doing and wouldn't put the crew in danger, but I was wrong. I was watching the launch at Johnson Space Center, on the large viewing screen on site, and as I watched, I was standing next to one of the other Crew Compartment Configuration Engineers. At full throttle up, it looked very abrupt, but the camera shot was really close, so I turned and said to him, "Didn't that look really abrupt to you?" Just as I said it, the camera shot and angle was further out, and I could see that the vehicle had exploded. My heart literally sank. I felt like I had just lost my best friend or a family member. We were all depressed for a long time afterwards. We worked on simulation flights for two years, with some of us, including myself, began working on Space Station projects. I am now retired, but I still follow the space program fairly closely and I hope that we eventually regain the pioneering spirit that we once had. Our country needs a common goal, something to unite us again.

[@peabody3000]

sorry, that must have been quite traumatic. as you're probably well aware, those engineers spent hours before launch on the Flight Readiness Review pleading for a scrub, and they were ultimately just steamrolled. it was tragic and negligent mismanagement.

[@perrythomasmusic3709]

@@peabody3000 Yes, I have talked to a couple of them before, about twenty years or so ago, and both were still affected by the tragedy. I can relate to what they went through, because I would go through things such as this, but on a less critical level, though someone could have been killed. This was when I was the chief engineer for an oil tool company that made drill pipe recovery equipment, as well as snubbing units. The owner of our company generally put cost before safety. I was angry on more occasions than I care to think about. I am now retired, so I don't have to worry about it anymore.

[@saphireplayz5171]

Got anymore good stories?

[@bradsanders407]

What do you mean by "it looked abrupt"?

[@garyr7027]

Very interesting, sorry for the loss of those you knew. However, the common goal we really need won't have anything to do with any space program, NASA done wore that dog out and not because of this accident, but because programs like this is all about the money and has been from day one. The "money" has been the problem all along, sadly society is just now coming to terms with that very late in the game... perhaps too late? Only common goal America will discover now will be after it we finally realized humanities real priorities, and it sure the hell isn't a space program. I think the conclusion of your post is merely based on emotional content and not on reality.

[@hbofbyu1]

Roger Boisjoly spoke to my engineering class in 1990 and I vividly remember him describing the worst day of his life and the details of the conference call they had with NASA before the launch. The helplessness and the peer/institutional/ pressure to conform or lose your job. Afterwards, others used him as a scapegoat to try and save their own skin. It was when I started to understand what institutional evil is and how good people can do horrible things with diffused responsibility. "The line dividing good and evil cuts through the heart of every human being. And who is willing to destroy a piece of his own heart?” - Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

[@oliver9089]

Fortunately the pressure to conform or lose out is a thing of the past and will never happen again

[@bill_4888]

I was one of the 10,000 teachers who went through the application process to be the first teacher in space. Watched it live on CNN. Sad memories.

[@TheTrueMariWho]

Glad you didn’t win that opportunity. 🙏

[@JeffSherlock]

10,000 people went throught the applicatiopn process? Jesus!

[@bill_4888]

@@JeffSherlock 10,000 teachers submitted extensive paper applications and finalists were selected from those who applied. Christa McAuliffe was the finalist. On the fifth anniversary of the disaster, I was selected to work with other applicants and we had the privilege of meeting Christa McAuliffe's mother, Grace Corrigan. We remained friends until her passing a few years ago. Incredible experience.

[@dominickcabal5347]

I was a tree surgeon in Melbourne, FL on that day and I was 90' in the air on a boom truck topping a pine tree. I witnessed the launch as it happened and the explosion sank my heart! That was history in the making and I saw it in real time...

[@suzannetaylor5374]

I was in a parking lot in Daytona.My company sent electrical parts to Lockheed and Martin.I'll never forget that feeling of sadness.

[@chrisparkes2179]

I'd just got in from work in the UK and was hanging my jacket up when I heard my mother shouting "Oh God, No" when she saw it on Newsround, a children's news show on TV.

[@smelltheglove2038]

We watched it in 5th grade science class. The only thing that I remember that was similar was 9-11. I could see the smoke cloud from my front step in NJ.

[@D-Fens_1632]

You probably have the most unique angle of that tragedy, that must have been incredibly surreal.

[@motorin25]

I was a first grader down in West Palm Beach watching it from the school's blacktop basketball court. You could tell something happened but didn't know until going inside. Our teacher and particularly our teacher's assistant were crying. As a first grade kid you don't really get the whole tragedy of the event, but it is the first world event I have a memory of.

[@DUNKIN_DEAN]

I recall that I was in a college algebra class when this tragic disaster occurred. The instructor turned on the TV, so we could watch the news reports. My classmates and I were terribly shaken and, outside in the hallways, people shuffled about like quiet ghosts, not saying anything. Some were crying. It was eerily quiet. Most went home; I know I did. I’ll never forgive NASA for neglecting those astronauts’ safety. It should never have happened.

[@nomdeguerre7265]

You don't need to forgive them. They never neglected the astronaut's safety. Spaceflight is a dangerous business. This tragedy resulted from systemic shortcomings and a misguided program conception. It was a case of trying to do too much, with too little and a lot of wishful thinking by people who very badly wanted to succeed, even without really having the resources to do so. The willingness to pay that price, and accept its risk, is inherent in any manned space program. That should be understood going in. The willingness of the government to mislead the public about the risks and the system's reliability and to make technical compromises for political reasons, is the only thing anyone really needs to be forgiven for. To this day I find it very hard to forgive them for that. There is no one, absolutely no one, at NASA or any of its contractors I feel needs to be forgiven (as hard as they might have found it to believe this themselves). I do hold some grudges about some things that happened afterward, but that's a different issue. I assure you that was a very hard day at NASA, very hard - and you might be comforted to hear that they finally did the same, everybody just left and went home....it was so horrid it just couldn't be grasped.

[@bikeman1x11]

i wasnt too broken up about it

[@wmw3629]

@@bikeman1x11 Is that supposed to be funny? You’re trash.

[@bikeman1x11]

@@wmw3629 bwaaaaaaaaah

[@TheMICMusicInspirationChannel]

I was in 9th grade typing class.

[@glennleslie6127]

The worst thing of the Challenger disaster was the fact that all of their loved ones saw it happen in those bleachers.. Absolutely horrific.

[@captainkeyboard1007]

My opinion about the Challenger disaster is that the worst thing that happened in that explosion was the disaster itself.

[@scottcharney1091]

It wasn't just those in the bleachers. There's a brief shot at the beginning of the video of a woman in blue watching the liftoff. That's Barbara Morgan, Christa McAuliffe's backup. They had become close friends during the training process. In 2007, she flew on a shuttle launch, as part of the Educator Astronaut Program. Thus, twenty-one years after Christa McAuliffe died, Barbara Morgan essentially finished the mission for her friend.

[@kepigal]

I fail to see how witnessing their death is worse than the astronauts actually DYING.

[@cjprice3219]

You're absolutely right, it is always worse for someone watching the person they love die right before their eyes than for the person who's exiting this realm. Ignore those jerks nitpicking your words.

[@therealhellkitty5388]

I remember Richard Feynman at one of the hearings soaking some o-rings in ice water, taking them out and snapping them in his fingers to demonstrate the problem with material cohesion at close to zero temperatures. He made his point.

[@kathymolloy5411]

I watched this from the beach near the Cape. It was so devastating, something I'll never forget.

[@dks13827]

Uh, you are not related to Larry Mulloy, I hope ???

[@cor2250]

The day like yesterday time Flies

[@winnifredforbes1114]

Nightmares? I can’t imagine!😱

[@rozzgrey801]

@Norberto Fontanez Shut up you tin-foil-hatted pillock.

[@sunniblacc78]

I was in elementary school watching the launch on TV when this happened.

[@Driver0378]

I was home from school that day and watched the launch live on tv. I remember saying “umm, mom, it just blew up.” She came in the living room and asked me if I was ok. I remember saying I was but was sad for the astronauts. Hearing they were most likely alive till impact is heartbreaking. ☹️

[@davehoward22]

Exactly how i saw it and called my mum in the room.

[@alfonsomunoz4424]

I was home from school that day too, sick as a dog. My friends came over at lunch time. It was all that was on TV that day. So sad.

[@BBT609]

Allan McDonald was at the Cape (from Morton Thiokol) and he too was part of the team who recommended not launching. It wasn’t just Boisjoly! Both men had the strength and courage to drive NASA to a decision NOT to launch, unfortunately the man who was head over this main decision was Larry Mulloy, telling some of the engineers to “take off your engineering hat and put in your management hat”. It’s amazing how that one move, ended the lives of 7 people

[@jbrubin8274]

As a kid who was in middle school in New Hampshire, this was an event I’ll never forget. The cacophony that broke out, students and teachers alike is something I’ll never forget nor ever could describe Nor how scary it was to see our teachers looking as equally stunned as we were. The tears screams, punching of every matt in our gym dept, etc. followed. Along with a hatred of O-rings, I silently count to 74 seconds, for every launch to this day. Manned or unmanned.

[@vincent2053]

🙏🏻

[@juliesczesny90]

My dad was one of the engineers, who'd designed the original space shuttle orbiters, pre-Kennedy. The entire crew cabin was designed to come off the rest of the ship, with the parachutes packed right between the cabin and the shuttle bay. That's why you couldn't enter directly. After President Kennedy changed the mission to the moon, Space Shuttle Orbiter was put behind the Apollos. My dad said that's why the Apollos went together so quickly, as he worked for Rockwell: They used the Shuttle as a template for the moon mission, and the cabin, became the Command Module, CM. Hope this helps out: Kennedy had us do it all backwards, to what was planned. Which is what contributed to us returning to the moon, go to the back burner. Also, the only way that NASA could afford the Space Shuttles, was to involve the Military, and take their money. AND the first thing the Military Complex did: REMOVE all the safety equipment for the Astronauts to survive any explosive accidents! Said it wasn't needed. My dad ranted and raved over it for nearly a month, because all the Engineers could see the loss of at least one shuttle happening! Challenger blowing up, literally took his life, day by day. He felt that he'd failed, "the boys," never mind that they saved, "the boys," during Apollo 13. I will always miss him.

[@redbovine]

Yep. The military wanted it so they could capture, examine and release Soviet satellites in orbit. Orbital espionage.

[@Aussieroo007]

Julie, love it was never a failure for your father, but those above should take full responsibility for their actions! I watched from Australia! And it came down to what cost for human life! 😢😢

[@timothym2241]

So what year did the fixed cabin design of the shuttle become adopted as the plan to proceed on? I had no idea the space shuttle design dates back to the 1960’s.

[@dogfriendly1623]

Your father wasn't responsible. It was the military that failed them. He sounds a genuinely good guy

[@southerneruk]

@@timothym2241 It was from Germany 1944 design, you can read up on it, Nazi Germany did not find the answer to travel right out in space by single rocket engine, it did not dawn on them to use a multi-stage rocket, or they would have done, that idea came out of Russia, But Nazi Germany started to design the shuttle rocket on paper, that NASA ending up building

[@j_vasey]

Knowing they were breathing on the way down having had the presence of mind to engage the emergency oxygen really shocked me when I first heard. Also those that had fought for it to not go ahead was really hard for them.

[@janejones7638]

If I were one of the NASA guys that said it was okay, I'd not be able to eat, sleep, or want to actually live because of what I was responsible for. I think highly of the engineer who was so upset about what happened to the crew. He tried his hardest to stop it and he still felt responsible. Sadly, he wasn't . If he was, they'd not have had the tragedy.

[@SalveRegina8]

They all passed out right after. They had no awareness when they hit the water.

[@j_vasey]

@@SalveRegina8 I hope that it was as early as possible. That oxygen would've been enough to stop them passing out due to the lack of breathable air. Pressure and G hopefully kicked in quickly and painlessly.

[@danmuscarella785]

@@SalveRegina8 that’s not what the facts say. They were trying to make course corrections and they turned their oxygen on. They we’re alive all the way down. According to the experts.

[@SalveRegina8]

@@danmuscarella785 literally was what an “expert” said in a Challenger investigation documentary. Just restating what he said, and appreciate it for their families.

[@tyjones5019]

My college physics professor used to work at NASA. He spent a whole lecture the year after this happened breaking this tragedy down, with even more information than this great video. If you go further up the food chain, it was politicians who were also to blame. MT got the contract for the external fuel tanks because Utah didn't have any companies with significant involvement with the shuttle program. I believe it was a Florida company that had a design that wasn't segmented (no O-rings necessary) but they lost the contract due to politicians pulling strings.

[@JarrodFLif3r]

They had to be segmented so they could be shipped from MT in Utah to Florida or California. They were planning to launch the shuttle from Vandenberg later in 1986(even had a crew a mission planned) so they would have the transport issue had they gone with an unsegmented design. There were also talks of using liquid fueled boosters but MT's lobbyists won that argument, despite the inherited risks solid rockets engines add to a manned mission(no way to shut off in an emergency obviously) Obviously the Challenger disaster ended plans for Vandenberg launches and we still have yet to have a manned mission on a polar(north to south) orbit. In a twist of fate, the shuttle could had a simpler design, however one mission requirement for Vandenberg exclusive launches(launch and deploy or capture a satellite in 1 orbit and land without going over Russia, then the USSR) required a large cross range gliding ability. This of course was never needed. The shuttle was able to get approved by Congress because it provided contracts and ultimately jobs all over the US. SLS/Artemis is similar and why it keeps moving forward despite being behind schedule, over budget while using the same technology we had since the space shuttle.

[@patevans3709]

My brother-in-law is an aerospace engineer, and recently retired after a career with NASA. He trained the Challenger crew on simulators used to prepare the crew for the launch and flight. My niece is named after Astronaut Judy Resnik, who was an electrical engineer and family friend. She gifted my niece a doll at a baby shower prior to the Challenger accident, and before my niece's birth. The accident had a profound effect on everyone who knew/worked with the crew.

[@teresamartin4735]

Can you imagine the crew being alive and conscious as they took that free-fall towards the ocean? Sheer terror.

[@arianebolt1575]

Not according to some other astronauts. It's like being a Viking. Die fighting with everything you've got and you get to go to Valhalla.

[@Jay-zc7iq]

Yep and scoby I bet stil tried to fly that hunk of junk all the way down, least I like to think so Fucking hero till the end

[@scottfreedoms9584]

@@arianebolt1575 I am sure that is EXACTLY what the civilian schoolteacher was thinking, "Neato, I'll be in Valhalla imminently."

[@ZedzDed311]

@arianebolt1575 how stupid of you and any supposed astronauts to speak for others who perished. If these others you referenced knew of the dangers based on ignorance going into this launch would take the places of the Challenger crew on some stupid statement of Valhalla... you're clearly inept.

[@redredbostonelecelec]

TRAGICALLY I DOUBT IF THEY WERE ALIVE AT THAT TIME.

[@margaretalbrecht4650]

The part that infuriated me most was the disrespectful way that NASA treated the families. When they'd say things like they didn't want to give out details to protect the familes' privacy, I understood. And then the families started to openly say how all their requests for information were being blocked and the details kept from them.

[@freeedr]

I knew Christa McAuliffe’s niece. She was my brother’s best friend as a small child. That Tuesday morning at school they gathered all the students into the auditorium and invited her to sit right up front to watch the launch, and she took my brother up there with her. It was absolutely horrifying when the explosion happened. I don’t remember if it was live during the broadcast or on the news later, but they showed the friend’s grandparents, Christa’s parents, on tv just looking at the fireball in disbelief and confusion. They lingered on that shot. The teachers sent the girl home and let my brother go with her. There wasn’t much said as they sent everyone else back to class

[@williamjones7163]

I knew a lady who worked in purchasing for NASA. It took her a long time to stop blaming herself for the Challenger disaster. She kept thinking that she overlooked some defective invoice and that was the reason it blew up. Yes, she took her job seriously.

[@a.w.thompson4001]

It's unforgivable that seven people died because management **gambled** on a safe launch despite being told by engineers that they were going to kill all aboard. The accident also damaged the program and destroyed a shuttle. It reminds me of the Greek myth of Icarus, flying too close to the sun and melting his wax and feather wings despite being warned of the danger.

[@blackosprey2219]

Worse than Icarus. The boy ignored danger and brought death only upon himself. The people responsible for the Challenger disaster were not the astronauts killed, the families bereaved and traumatized, or the scientists who have to live wracked with guilt. They likely barely understood the science behind why this was a horrible plan to start with, and the consequences they faced were likely merely losing a job at most... money can be easily replaced. Lives and mental peace, not so much.

[@a.w.thompson4001]

@@blackosprey2219 Well said!!

[@gregrowe1168]

And sadly it happened again less than 20 years later.

[@a.w.thompson4001]

@@gregrowe1168 Indeed!

[@jackspencer6107]

Vasa syndrome

[@Akira625]

I was 11 and in school when this happened, my science teacher came in the room and said the shuttle had exploded, and we then all saw the terrible footage of it. Must have watched it a million times that day, nothing like that had ever happened before. It was the 9/11 of my childhood.

[@nomdeguerre7265]

You might be interested to know that a lot of people in a lot of NASA locations did exactly the same thing, watch the launch over and over, trying to find anything that might indicate what had gone wrong.

[@mjsplicer78]

Likewise in school, 2 of the teachers, a husband and wife, at my school somehow knew Christa McAuliffe ( I was 9 so the details of that are not good). The whole school was watching the launch in various classrooms, there was an initial gasp and a few screams but the silence was deafening. It was broken by the wife of the couple breaking down in tears. They sent everyone home after that, most of us knew what happened but I don't think we really processed that we had just seen an entire crew of people die in front of our eyes

[@darrenelkins5923]

I attended a briefing on this accident sometime around 1996. It was given by a team from UK RAF They noted that medical reports insisted that water was in parts of the lungs where it couldn’t get into unless breathed in. Back then they said the report concluded that some, or all I cannot recall, of the astronauts were breathing when the crew compartment sank into the sea.

[@Individualist73]

I watched the Shuttle disaster as it happened that day in the school library. Christa McAuliffe’s parents thought the explosion was a normal part of the launch for several seconds and then the horror dawned on them.

[@caroljo420]

I was watching it live on tv, and I immediately knew it blew up. It broke my heart, especially for Christa McCauliff and her family. Her very young daughter didn't want her to go, and when asked why, she said, "I don't want you to die."

[@redblade8160]

Caroljo 420 The daughter had a premonition then?

[@BooksForever]

@@redblade8160 - expressing a fear of a worst-case scenario based on a grasp of rational risk assessment is hardly a “premonition”. Don’t seek out supernatural phenomena where there is none. And there never is.

[@redblade8160]

@@BooksForever You think it was fear based then?

[@BooksForever]

@@redblade8160 - what is wrong with you??? Of COURSE any rational person, especially a child, is going to have “fear based” (if that’s how you prefer to put this) worries about the safety of their loved ones who are perched atop tons of fuel that will be set ablaze.

[@redblade8160]

@@BooksForever There is obviously something wrong with you to get into such a state over every little thing; calm yourself down

[@Stingray4]

DEfinitlely was a sad day. And to realize that the crew might have survived the explosion and die on impact is hard to hear. This is something I heard for years now and realize that it is true. Imagine that 2 minutes of not knowing whats going on would be hard to feel. Rest in Peace Challenger.

[@elzurdico851]

you mean in pieces

[@timesquare5473]

@@elzurdico851 No need mate, no need. 🤡

[@byteme83]

Not "Might" have. Did. Autopsy confirmed that the cause of death was collision with the ocean.. and four of the six emergency air packs had been activated. Those are packs are located on the back of the astronauts seats, and there's a fairly complicated process required to activate them. The emergency air packs would not have been activated by accident. They would only have been activated as part of the deliberate effort to activate them after the shuttle that exploded. So not only were they alive after the explosion, they were possibly conscious all the way until that crew compartment hit the ocean minutes later.. and four of the six were definitely conscious enough at some point to attempt to figure out how best to survive what was coming.

[@Stingray4]

@@byteme83 I know. It's sad fact. As I stated.

[@RB01.10]

Someone should’ve stopped it, the weather wasn’t appropriate

[@Josh-re7ik]

I remember watching this while in school. My teacher at the time applied to be the first teacher in space witch was on the challenger. He went to Florida and tested and maid it to the final 4 but was not selected. Our school was so proud that he maid it that far in the process. Afterwatch the take off and explosion he cried and went home. He had pictures with them and everything. After I graduated i always stayed in touch with. He has passed on now but he made a big influence on my life and will alway remember Mr Smith.

[@rlg222]

No matter how many times I watch the challenger disaster, it still crushin to hear how this could have been avoided. I worked on the shuttle program from 1994 until it was retired. We did the Range safety S&A Device for the SRB's and the hold down bolts to name a few sub components.

[@hprotz6600]

My cousin's father-in-law was an engineer with Thiokol who tried to help sound the alarm about the o-ring issue. He once told me that multiple of his coworkers tried, even right up to that day, to get NASA to listen. Said it was his biggest regret that they weren't able to get TPB to listen...

[@thespicemelange.1]

I remember being in school that day when it happened, we were watching it on the TV. Our teacher was very into the space launch. I remember the teacher and most of the class were crying uncontrollably. It was such a sad day. Getting a little choked up right now talking about this. I remember they sent us all home after that. Living in Broward County in Plantation Florida everybody was sent home from work and I remember my mom picking me up from school crying. After we got home all our family got together that night to mourn the people lost. We all sat around the table at dinner time and my grandmother said a prayer for all The family members that lost their loved ones that day. We all sat there in silence while we ate. Okay now I'm really crying.

[@jennyt6159]

I remember that to0. The Teacher walked over and shut off the TV and told us we could have a early recess, she was crying. We were pretty young and weren't sure of what we saw but she pulled it together and explained it all when we came back to class. I always thought "well, at least they went quick and didn't suffer." Then I just read a report yesterday that stated they survived the blast and were alive for the 3 minute decent and were probably killed on impact when they hit the water...absolutely heartbreaking. To know now it was a horrific tragedy that could have been avoided is infuriating.

[@thespicemelange.1]

@@jennyt6159 wow I didn't know that That's horrific oh my god.

[@amythomas1124]

I was a young adult, working in a nursing home as a CNA! Watched it on the tv in the lobby. Was horrifying!

[@Shiveria]

@@jennyt6159do u by chance have the report? Ive been curious about this and would want to read it

[@tarabooartarmy3654]

We were watching live that day, too. I was 10. We were all utterly shocked, but our teacher left it running so we could see the result. We were all hoping they were okay, but we all knew they weren’t. When we finally realized for sure they were never coming home, several of us burst into tears.

[@ruatonim]

I remember watching this in first grade class. Everyone was excited because a teacher was going up. When the explosion happened, they didn't rush to turn off the TVs. I remember watching and praying for some hope they made it and I think all the teachers thought the same. Speechless and shock followed for quite some time, we were still in disbelief that what we saw really happened. I don't remember a whole lot from those early years, but that day I remember with a cold clarity that still shakes me. I work in aviation maintenance as a career now, and this memory still keeps my oath to safety and quality firm.

[@ashleybonanno3043]

I was at home sick from school when I saw this on television. I was only in second grade, but I remember this like it was yesterday. It's not something anyone could ever forget 🥺

[@mikerussell9349]

The worst part was it was avoidable. And the pilots, crew we're alive when they hit the water .

[@boxlid214]

Alive but possibly not awake, they would've blacked out and been unconscious if it went into an aggressive enough tumble or flat spin. I guess it doesn't matter, they were for seconds after it happened at the minimum, and that's an eternity in a situation like that, they knew what was going on.

[@arianebolt1575]

@@boxlid214 It wasn't spinning that much.

[@captainkeyboard1007]

@@boxlid214 Those astronauts could have been already dead as far as I am concerned.

[@valmacclinchy]

​@@captainkeyboard1007 they had to have been alive after the explosion because they activated their life support systems

[@rigelmoon9030]

When they hit the water, their bodies were instantly gelatinized. Think about that.

[@hikingwiththeshackletons]

The worst part of this tragedy, was that the loss of those precious lives was avoidable and that no one went to prison for this!

[@HardRockMaster7577]

The USA in a Nutshell ! ! !

[@SabrSuave23]

Have you ever built a machine with over a billion parts??? Please tell us all who should have went to prison and why....

[@my3dviews]

@@SabrSuave23 Maybe the people who over rode the decision by the engineers who said not to launch in cold weather. They took an unnecessary risk by launching that day.

[@lawrencequave7361]

@@SabrSuave23 If I were to bet, I'd say you, Ric, are a manager at some company. The parameters of failure (where and why) were well know before the time of disaster, so it wasn't 'parts' that failed--it was managers (people, and very specific people).

[@phillipholmes4466]

The Defense Intelligence Agency did not agree with the Rodgers Commission report. Events on 9 April 1984 mission during the crews EVA may bear relevance to loss of CHALLENGER.

[@jamesfrost7465]

I was there, so sad. Then the sound of the explosion reached us a moment after the explosion, My feelings sank, all of us felt gut punched. It looked like everything was moving in slow motion.

[@evilchaperone]

Wow, I was on an overseas deployment when they located the crew compartment. I never knew they recovered the bodies until watching this. What a tragedy.

[@marine4lyfe85]

I had just got to my first duty station on Okinawa about 3 weeks before it happened.

[@htos1av]

I'm still miffed, VERY angry in Jan. 86. I worked for GE industrial. Here in Jacksonville, Fl. People had to protect themselves with issued 1911 sidearms because engineering TRIED TO WARN EVERYONE!!! worked with several MT engineers that year, classy group that did great work! I'll NEVER forget what "gov't" did to so many good people! Never A Straight Answer

[@nerysghemor5781]

I feel awful for the engineers! They were the heroes and the ones who were doing all the right things to warn people. Out of ANYONE, they should have clear consciences and be lauded as heroes and yet they were treated like that??? Disgusting!

[@leftfinned]

Yes the engineers were indeed heroes who tried so hard to do all the right things! They can at least sleep at night with a clear conscience.

[@leftfinned]

Watched it live on tv in my 5th grade class. Ill never forget it. So sad. There’s a great book called Truth, Lies, and O-Rings about the challenger disaster and it’s very good. There were a LOT of people against the launch and voiced it only to be overridden . tragic.

[@KeystoneFinancialAcademy]

Me too, I was in 5th grade - remember it all like it was yesterday.

[@douglasgriffiths3534]

I have that book, and also a paperback book about the astronauts called "Challengers--their inspiring life stories", published by The Washington Post. It's out of print now. I've had it a long time. Both books are great reads. (Jan Griffiths).

[@GeeCeeWU]

I remember the news bulletins at the time reporting the delays leading up to this event and the image that stuck in my mind was the thick ice covering the rockets and the area around the launch pad. After seeing this image and after all the other delays, I had a gut feeling that convinced me this was not going to go well; I was hoping I was wrong. I remember how devastated I was after seeing this event unfold on TV and have never forgotten it to this day.

[@monkeybuttslap]

I grew up in Brevard county. I was only miles away from KSC getting tags for my car. I was standing in the parking lot putting my new tag on and looked up to see Challenger explode within seconds. The boom shook my chest. I felt a wave of nausea as I drove home hearing the news on the radio.

[@thumbprintkiller7059]

This was devastating to me. I was very young, and watching it live. It personally devastated me because my teacher had one of the astronauts visit our class and talk to us before it happened. I think the astronaut was her sister. Im sure it was the young lady named *Christy. I will never forget her and her crew. God Bless all the families impacted

[@williamfulgham2010]

The Christy that you are referring to was Christa McCauliff. She was to be the 1st teacher in space.

[@craigusselman546]

I was 5 years old watched it live I can see the moment in my head right now awful

[@tonyc8752]

BS. You aren’t old enough to understand at 5 years old

[@razeezar]

@@tonyc8752 At least some kids can understand at that age, if not all. I've been told that I watched the Challenger disaster occur live when I was just 3. I can't remember that specific occasion and I'm not sure whether I would have quite grasped exactly what I was observing anyway. A couple of years later I do remember being about 5 (or may have just turned 6) around '88 / '89 and reading about it, and very much grasping what had happened - Although I didn't know the details of how or why it happened besides "something" failing catastrophically.

[@RC-nq7mg]

@@tonyc8752 I am a father of a 5 year old and let me tell you it is surprising what they understand at this age, a 5 year old would have definately understood that they were killed in that accident, unless they are brought up in a lifestyle sheltered from the truth.

[@kellyorourke2257]

I was in college sitting alone in my room when this happened. You knew something was terribly wrong because the announcers were saying absolutely nothing. I think the worst thing for me is that the astronauts survived the explosion & likely knew what was happening during The descent. The fact that it was avoidable by an o-ring that probably cost less than a dollar is just criminal....

[@nofrenz2065]

You forgot I had my finger in ya...do you remember?

[@kriley9386]

Actually those O-rings were a bit more than a dollar. They were much larger than anything your cold find in Ace hardware, about 12 feet in diameter.

[@bigdmac33]

Roger Boisjoly never knew me and I never met the man. We didn't even live in the same country. Yet, Mr. Boisjoly is and will always be one of my heroes. Rest in peace, Mr. B - you had nothing to be ashamed of.

[@aaronkelly4255]

"To Boldly Go......" Forever Immortalised in the most terrible way....... in awe of the bravery of everyone on board.

[@williamfulgham2010]

The Challenger disaster is something that Engineers have to face constantly. Very few things happen like that without the Engineers blowing the whistle. The problem is, the bean counters or the upper executives in charge of whatever it is get involved and push ahead and they do not listen to the Engineers. This kind of thing occurs constantly in whatever business is involved, and so much of the time tragedy occurs in spite of the efforts that Engineers make. Because of that scenario, most Engineers do not win popularity contests among their associates.

[@wildliferox2]

All the more reason that any mission to the moon has a back up plan, and a back up to the back up plan. Ie how to rescue those brave astronauts who endeavour to land on the Moon. In fact we should insist that NASA detail and publish such plans for peer review and agreement.

[@TinkersWithMotherboards]

All true, but it's equally true that rocket scientists know that it is impossible to eliminate all risks in spaceflight, all you can do is minimize them to an acceptable level. But the only launch that is guaranteed 100% safe is the launch that never happens.

[@johnwinter976]

and other engineers, dont forget that

[@williamfulgham2010]

@@johnwinter976 I agree. Engineering is not the only discipline that is faced with the challenge of going against 'group think mentality'. With the impending, current potential collapse of our quality of life, our elected officials are at a crossroad to fight the deeply corrupted system that our world is into. I don't want to go too far off the deep end, but one thing that is being recognized as we speak, is whether or not our exponentially expanding AI environment will end up causing the atrophy of potential human biological intelligence in future generations, which could lead mankind to being controlled by non human entities. The study of the potential controlling point of AI science is now called AI Singularity. I know that this idea is not new because there have been movies made in past decades around this thought.

[@elevenbucks5682]

Long ago I saw a sign in a machine shop that said ' Those who think they know it all irritate those of us who do".

[@zaphodb9213]

Never gets any easier to watch.

[@user-so9qk1nf4t]

The company I was with had built hardware for M/Marietta, so we were invited to watch the launch with some engineers that morning. It is hard to describe the shock and silence in our little group, seeing the initial failure, the lost shuttle as it headed back down. There were tears; it's not something I can ever forget.

[@cannedmusic]

I remember as I was recording it for dad, watching the disaster take place and my uttering, "uh...that's not supposed to happen"

[@PhillAndersonGuitarist]

One of the teachers at my school applied to be "the teacher in space." I heard she got really close to being selected. She was absolutely devastated.

[@MovieMakingMan]

At the 9:06 mark Story Musgrave talks about the 2 minute Shuttle fall to the ocean. The first project I worked on at NASA was helping Story Musgrave suit up before a ‘neutral buoyancy’ test in a water tank. He was the first astronaut I met and he looked like a ‘spaceman’ with his bald head. Years later while I attended film school I had several classes with Story. During the graduation ceremony at the University of Houston Clear Lake I sat next to Story. I was getting my first masters degree. Story was getting his 7th. He had an insatiable appetite for knowledge. It was always a pleasure to talk with Story. He could talk about any subject with authority.

[@jimdrake3436]

His expertise in this instance stems from his being a physician who earned the M.D. degree from Columbia University’s medical school.

[@MovieMakingMan]

@@jimdrake3436 Thanks, while I was taking classes to obtain a masters in filmmaking/communications I had several classes with Story at the University of Houston Clear Lake that is about a mile from the Johnson Space Center. Great guy.

[@wntu4]

I know the crew or some of them, were awake and talking. In the early 90s I worked with what turned out to be the son of a NASA engineer. He later became a friend and confided in me at the time that at least some crew were alive for the ride down and that NASA, in particular his father, were well aware of this. I figured it was possible but never fully bought into it until just a few years ago when the internet and facebook sleuthing made it possible for me to try and verify some things he told me. They were true. I was so sad and so angry. This was possibly the most preventable aviation accident in history.

[@MaryOKC]

In 1986 we were stationed at Hill AFB in Utah and I attended church with an executive from Morton Thiokol - in 1995 we were stationed in FL just miles from Cape Canaveral when you could still drive onto the Cape and look at the old launch pads. .. my Dad was fire rescue in the mid 1950’s there on Cape Canaveral … he used to tell some fabulous stories. I knew one of the safety officers at NASA and she was so distraught over the accident she resigned. The Space Coast has changed a lot these days and I miss seeing the rocket launches from my front porch and I’ve even seen the space shuttle piggy back on its way home from a west coast landing. .. exciting times but nothing like Space X ..

[@richampton9064]

I was only 5 when this happened. The teacher on board was a friend of my Kindergarten teacher, Mrs. Wagner at Marimonte Elementary in Clovis Ca. As i was a young man, this is one of my first memories. This one stuck. I was front row in class when it happened. I didnt even know the enormity of the situation. But , 35 years later, as a musician, i have written a song about Challenger and Atlantis. Its called Crashing Down. My fav line in said song goes,,,, "One simple mistake, sealed your fate. As you all came crashing down". Thank you

[@jsmith1746]

Very cool you would write a song. But why would you include Atlantis? Atlantis did have a close call in 1988, but it safely flew through the end of the shuttle program, and is now on display at the Kennedy Space Center. Did you perhaps mean Columbia, which was lost in 2003?

[@Scottocaster6668]

I would have worded it a little differently. Still good though.

[@jsmith1746]

I really wish you had indicated who was speaking at 9:06, because that is very important for context. This is retired astronaut Story Musgrave. He is also a medical doctor and was directly involved in the recovery efforts and autopsies of the Challenger crew (he is also the only astronaut to have flown on all five space shuttles). He would be one of the few people to know exactly what happened to the crew. I knew a guy who worked with Roger Boisjoly in the decades after the Challenger accident, and got to know him quite well. He said Roger still felt guilt over not being able to stop the launch, even a few decades later. It must be awful knowing what would happen, having the data to back you up, issuing warnings that fell of deaf ears, and then watch them launch anyway and see your prediction coming true.

[@get2dachoppa249]

That’s called the Cassandra effect.

[@redplanet7163]

@@get2dachoppa249 After Cassandra, Princess of Troy, who predicted the fall of her city.

[@spaceflight1019]

The Mothman Prophecies...

[@youtube_chaplain]

ATTENTION!!!! Heaven and Hell are real... Is your heart right with God? We can not hide our sins from God. Jesus Christ loves you and He died for our sins. If you will REPENT of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved and your name will be written into the Book of Life. Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. "Salvation Prayer" Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you, to confess that I am a sinner. I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of and I repent of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that He arose from the grave and that He is alive today. I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my heart... I proclaim that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. AMEN...

[@honkeykong9563]

According to the report on Challanger's destruction, the astronauts would have had a clear and stable view of their 2 minute descent and impact due to severed wires trailing from the crew cabin, which acted like the tail on the end of a kite.

[@fluxerflixer1]

One VERY big reason they launched that day (even though it was severely cold and they knew the risk), is that they couldn’t wait any longer because Christa McAuliffe was scheduled to give her televised class lesson on the “4th” day. With it now being Tuesday and all previous delays, they couldn’t wait any longer because it would now be FRIDAY and her LAST CHANCE for the lesson, which was a HUGE deal. If they delayed again it would go into SATURDAY, Meaning NO SCHOOL, NO LESSON. It’s one of the very reasons they took such a risk. They had hyped up the teacher in space and her live televised lesson so much, it forced the executives at NASA to make a deadly decision against what would have been the smart thing to do. The only thing to do. Delay again, and wait for warmer temperatures. This is a fact not many people talk about. The ones in the know seem to be very quiet about this. I can understand why.

[@demonseed032]

I remember the hoopla leading up to her selection and that was the first thing I thought of after it exploded. I fully agree with you.

[@chrishill1286]

Unfortunately the show must go on,,,,,,,

[@white-dragon4424]

As you pointed out, it was a mix of greed and arrogance that killed both crews. The bosses wanted a premium service done on the cheap. Just a parachute system for the crew cabin would've been of great value to safety and would've likely saved the lives of the Challenger crew. But nope, money was seen as more important than lives. I've seen that originally scientists wanted the shuttle to be designed so that it rode on the nose of the tank and boosters, but it was decided that the shuttle should ride piggyback instead. This was a dangerously flawed setup, but was chosen because, guess why? Yep, MONEY. It was the cheapest option to go with. The shuttle was also supposed to be much smaller, but lack of funding meant that its cargo bay needed to be made bigger so that it could take military satellites into orbit, which made the shuttle too large to sit on the nose of the tank.

[@JarrodFLif3r]

One big issue that pressures management was Reagan was in attendance. They did not want to scrub with him there if they could help it. Everyone knows about the cold weather and o-ring issue, but few talk about the wind shear. That day had the highest windshear of any shuttle launch and was at the threshold to scrub. Many believe this helped 'open up' the hole on the booster allowing more hot gasses to escape.

[@joe92]

Greed, huh? Who made money?

[@JarrodFLif3r]

@@joe92 All the contractors for the shuttle program got inflated contracts fir the shuttle program. Instead of a streamlined system, they had contractors from all over the US making pieces of the shuttle. This helped get funding as Congress approved funding because their state was likely getting funding for some part of the shuttle. Not only was this uneconomical, it added more complexity and ultimately more risks to the vehicle. The boosters were made in segments somthey could be shipped via train from Utah to Florida...this is what ultimately doomed Challenger as an unsegmented SRB would not need o-rings to seal each segment. At $1.6 billion per launch, it never was the cost saving reusable space transport system that it was supposed to be when the idea was originally pitched to Americans 1970s... The uneconomical practices continue with Artemis, despite 'cost saving measures' using essentially the same(but larger) solid rocket boosters and the space shuttle main engines, each launch costs about $4 billion(with the entire rocket being expendable). Falcon Heavy costs about $100 million if they recover the boosters and $150 million if fully expendable....

[@katjagolden893]

My father invented a part for the Space Shuttle. I was in English class when my principal told the school over the loud speaker “something about the Shuttle.” I thought it was the “Lessons in Space” already. But it was the disaster. I begged my teacher put our tv on. At class break I called my mother to tell her what happened and started bawling my eyes out. My father died 28 months earlier. When I got home from school someone from NASA person called looking for my dad. Had to tell him he died in 1983. I will never forget this. It was my first “JFK shooting” The Shuttle should have NEVER gone up. I was only 13 and I knew it was too cold that day

[@redplanet7163]

9/11 must have been your second "JFK shooting". Massive cover-up there too.

[@katjagolden893]

@@redplanet7163 - Yep. Your absolutely correct.

[@williamfulgham2010]

@@redplanet7163 And it will probably always be covered up officially, but just like JFK, everyone knows there was something screwy about 9/11 ( Which was scientifically impossible ) and we will never trust the government about anything. Let the hearings begin in Congress, now that the people have a voice about what Fauci did with covid.

[@leftfinned]

Sorry about your Dad. It’s very cool he invented part of it! Exactly- at 13 you knew better, like I do as well…… yet it did. Truth is indeed stranger than fiction.

[@youtube_chaplain]

ATTENTION!!!! Heaven and Hell are real... Is your heart right with God? We can not hide our sins from God. Jesus Christ loves you and He died for our sins. If you will REPENT of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved and your name will be written into the Book of Life. Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. "Salvation Prayer" Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you, to confess that I am a sinner. I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of and I repent of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that He arose from the grave and that He is alive today. I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my heart... I proclaim that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. AMEN...

[@songbyrd5]

They probably didn’t die in the explosion but were alive and conscious up until the cabin made impact with the ocean

[@deltaboy767]

I remember watching this in school in the first grade. And I'll never forget the last words, Challenger go with throttle up, and then boom the Challenger exploded. We were all in shock and out teacher was in tears.

[@kellifranklin9872]

I remember watching this live on TV. I was stunned. I always felt that the astronauts weren’t burned up but instead fell to the earth. Still hurts to watch this.

[@The_Enter_uno]

I remember it... my first grade. I cried my eyes out. I still feel so bad when I see the replay,it's like watching 9/11... it still hurts 😪 The crew looked so enthusiastic before going up.... I don't know them but they are missed still and I have a hole in my heart

[@edwardtelles1956]

You've been programed by those Two False Flags... Challenger , and 911. Remember : It's the government. Don't believe a word they say

[@The_Enter_uno]

@@edwardtelles1956 I understand false flags,regardless On 9/11 a bunch of innocent people went to work and never came home. Besides the trade center coming down.... the pentagon attack doesn't make sense the way they say it happened . There is no possible way a novice pilot could fly a plane that low at top speed with that wing span and not hit any trees or power poles then smash into the building and leave no plane debris. I don't believe anything they say about the way it happened, I hurt because innocent people died and had no say in our governments twisted manipulation for profit. Plus those towers were built to withstand plane impact,and those buildings are still the only structures to collapse in that way by fire that doesn't burn hot enough to melt steel.... and building 7 still has no reason it fell,no reason that makes any sense with the narrative. I was unaware the challenger explosion was another stunt of our government but it totally makes sense. These people are sick.

[@edwardtelles1956]

@@The_Enter_uno all throughout human history , governments have sacrificed many of it's own Citizens to promote an Aganda. Human Life means nothing to Satan.... Let's face it , that's who is ultimately behind all Evil in this world 🌎...... But not for much Longer...

[@beornthebear.8220]

They were too busy trying to show off to heed the warnings, which were loud and clear. The rubber O rings that were to hold gas pressure in were too cold, and leaked. It released burning gas, ignighting the entire fuel supply. They were told this would be the result. I saw it while eating lunch in the break room of a warehouse I was working in. I saw it lift off and blow apart live on TV. I thought "I just saw 8 people get atomized."

[@badsinnoeka]

I remember I was in 2nd grade and it was a big deal because the 1st teacher was going to space so our teacher and the whole school were watching on t.v. And all of a sudden the explosion happen. We all sat there in shock!! It went from a day full of excitement and anticipation to silence and shock.

[@winstonchurchll]

Same. It was a very big deal. They wheeled in the television and then we all stood around and watched. I don't know how the teacher explained that to a classroom of little kids. I hope they are all resting in peace. ❤

[@marjuska9833]

It's crazy that so many knew about problems, tried to warn about those problems, but still someone(s) decided to ignore those warnings.

[@rajvader]

Problem is that, with something as complex as a spacecraft, there are ALWAYS potential problems. If you aborted every launch until every one of the countless technicians and engineers involved was 100% confident, you would never, ever get off the pad.

[@wildliferox2]

@@rajvader sorry can't agree with you. That is exactly why you have a preflight checklist. If you can't satisfactorily complete you don't fly, plain and simple. If you go outside the design parameters you go back to the manufacturers for guidance.

[@donnamcadams5564]

Money 💰. Cost money lots of it to fix it. So many horrible things happen because of money.

[@katiekarakondis3348]

@@donnamcadams5564 and arrogance

[@youtube_chaplain]

ATTENTION!!!! Heaven and Hell are real... Is your heart right with God? We can not hide our sins from God. Jesus Christ loves you and He died for our sins. If you will REPENT of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved and your name will be written into the Book of Life. Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. "Salvation Prayer" Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you, to confess that I am a sinner. I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of and I repent of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that He arose from the grave and that He is alive today. I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my heart... I proclaim that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. AMEN...

[@JoshyCC]

I remember watching it in second grade, 8 days before my eighth birthday. Everyone in my class has written letters to the teacher to be an astronaut, as I know kids all over the country did, while learning about her and seeing her speak on TV. I know I saw it live, but can't recall what happened immediately after.

[@andreaberryman5354]

Yup. I was second grade, very close to my b-day, watching in class.

[@thomasjones4570]

Watched this live in school. Could not even fathom what was happening in the moment and some 30 years later actually hearing the details that the cockpit did not get destroyed in the explosion and that they more then likely died from the impact blew my mind...I had figured they died instantly and knowing they may have been conscious for a while after the explosion is horrifying.

[@wendystjean4678]

I lived in Port Saint Lucie, FL at the time. I saw it from my front lawn. Didn't realize what happened until my neighbor came out of his house and told us. That smoke seemed to hang in the air forever. The worst part was when I read, just recently, that the Astronauts were still alive until they hit the water. Heart breaking. Just heartbreaking.

[@bloozedaddy]

The Challenger went up that day mostly for one reason only...PR reasons....Christa MaCauliff's "lesson from space" ...if it didn't go up that Tuesday the scheduled lesson would be on the weekend when children weren't in school on the weekend. The pressure to launch was overwhelming. Keep in mind the Shuttle program was grossly over-budget and in crisis at the time. They NEEDED this moment. It eventually cost these people their lives.

[@demonseed032]

I remember all the hoopla leading up to her selection and I agree with you.

[@TheRook-td4fn]

Seeing the realization on their families faces before the camera quickly cut away was soul crushing.

[@th8257]

I was 9 years old at the time and we'd been doing a school project about space so we followed the whole lead up to the launch very closely. It was such a terrible shock. I think sometimes when you're a kid there's an event that happens in the world that really shakes you and makes you realise that the world isn't the safe, warm place you imagined it was.

[@ALH535]

This is still so hard to watch. The previous year, my 6th grade teacher had been one of 1000 remaining candidates for Teacher in Space before he was eliminated. In January of 1986 I was in 7th grade typing class and our teacher Ms. Masariu had just walked back into the room after being in the hallway for a few minutes. She looked bizarre as she blurted out: "The space shuttle just exploded." We were kids, and no one had ever said something so ridiculous in our entire lives. I remember some giggled as we mostly fell silent and waited for her to say something that made sense. She couldn't. That's what I remember most: the incredulity of what it felt like to have something as seemingly certain and highly revered as the space program fall from grace in the blink of an eye.

[@lotstodo]

The worst part was they didn't die in the explosion but fell to their death in the ocean. Some of them were conscious and could see the surface approaching at terminal velocity. RIP astronauts.

[@nofrenz2065]

You do not know that for sure..nobody does..speculation

[@mikemahne2503]

@@nofrenz2065 actually they were

[@nofrenz2065]

@@mikemahne2503 I don't recall body parts found..do you know?

[@dcoker1234]

@@nofrenz2065 Yes, my Wife's grandfather was apart of the team that did the recovery. They were intact and had their oxygen supplies turned on. They also have recordings of them after the explosion happened. He would tear up every time it's mentioned. Sadly, he also passed a few months ago.

[@nofrenz2065]

@@dcoker1234 thanks..and sorry for your loss

[@josephpacchetti5997]

My best friends father worked for Morton Thiokol for 30+ years and he knew, there's one gentleman with NASA that told his wife, "it's going to blow up" RIP. 🇺🇲

[@spaceflight1019]

One of them passed away a few years ago. There were articles written about him.

[@tehfiredog]

Growing up in Florida, it was impossible not to know about NASA and the shuttle... depending on the mission and the weather we could even see them from my front yard on their way up at times, if only distantly. I didn't see it live but I remember seeing it on the news that night and watching Regan give his speech telling the world. I was heart broken then and all these years later I still am.

[@mikemanjo2458]

I am no enineer, but seeing all the pictures of things freezing on the Challenger, I just remember telling my husband they should wait until things warmed up. It was less than an hour till we heard about the explosion. So sad.😢

[@michaelholt9658]

When I was a child I cried my heart out and I still think about this here and there.

[@bikeman1x11]

@Jack McHue cowboy up-

[@bikeman1x11]

@Jack McHue no man would cry over that - its sad but come on ! if its not a relative on there how broken up can one be?

[@bikeman1x11]

@Jack McHue weaklings- men dont cry

[@bikeman1x11]

@Jack McHue ok cupcake ill send you some kleenex and you can cry over everything

[@bikeman1x11]

@Jack McHue you know what thewy say about men who are soft and cry ythough

[@jayerm]

The Netflix documentary about this really shook me. They had no regard for these people's lives.

[@gaborszabo6406]

I hope they had lmbtq actors

[@deltaboy767]

I vividly remember watching this on TV when it happened, it was a live broadcast at the time and right after mission control gave the ok for Challenger to throttle up, it exploded. I'll never forget that day. Sad part was they were still alive when the shuttle broke apart until they hit the water.

[@XavierAway]

Boy all the other mission candidates must’ve been glad they were rejected

[@berzerkbankie1342]

I lived in Florida in the 90s and the people there were still very much affected by this 10+ years later. They took it especially hard because they took great pride in the fact the space shuttle was launched there. We used to be able to see them going up from our front yard. It just looked like a ball of fire but it was still cool to see.

[@JMChladek]

Hints as to the fate of the Challenger crew can likely be gleamed from Payne Stewart's Learjet crash. Challenger broke apart at about 47,000 feet and the debris continued upward on a ballistic trajectory to about 60,000 feet before beginning to fall. Useable consciousness was only about three or four seconds and the personal oxygen packs do not provide pressurized oxygen. Plus, at 60,000 feet, unpressurized blood begins to boil. With damaged lines and bulkheads, that cabin more than likely lost pressure pretty quick and there was no emergency system to keep it pressurized. So were they alive during the fall, possibly, but not conscious. As for the O-rings, technically they were not "faulty" as they were never intended to seal hot gasses. The whole joint design was flawed and that didn't get corrected until after. The same O-rings were used to the end of the shuttle program and we're doing more than originally intended. I'm surprised this video makes NO mention of engineer Allen Macdonald who was Thiokol's rep at KSC for the launch. He was present for the conference call to Utah and refused to sign the waiver NASA wanted from Thiokol, forcing NASA Marshall's managers to go over his head to one of the VPs for the signature. The whole thing is documented in his book "Truth, Lies and O-rings" co-written with James Hansen. The book discusses everything regarding Challenger, the investigation and it pulls no punches. I consider it required reading for engineering students.

[@JMChladek]

I don't know that they necessarily determined the cabin pressure remained and activation of the packs seems to imply that some on the crew tried to stabilize airflow, even if it wasn't pressurized air. As I understand it, Judy Resnik activated at least one and likely both Scobee and Smith's packs as she was on the flight deck doing flight engineer duties that launch. There was an attempt by a couple un-named shuttle workers to apparently corrupt data regarding the cockpit window glass to say they had a panel blow out to show the cabin did depressurize. But the engineer assigned to glass analysis had none of it and determined the fracture patterns were from impact with the ocean, not the break-up (or from when the forward RCS ruptured, producing a brief hypergolic fueled fireball as the cabin emerged from the debris cloud). But that doesn't necessarily mean the crew cabin stayed pressurized either. I consider it unlikely given how aerodynamic forces ripped apart the orbiter so completely. But, it may have been a slower leak as opposed to the Hollywood interpretation of "explosive decompression".

[@JarrodFLif3r]

There is evidence that at least some of the crew was not only conscious, tried to put others emergency oxygen on and even made inputs, that is attempt to fly the shuttle, being unaware that the orbiter broke apart due to aerodynamic forcing(not exploded). Future launches the crew not only wore pressurized suits, but wore parachutes and had a bailout procedure.

[@JMChladek]

@@JarrodFLif3r to my knowledge the activated packs were on the flight deck, specifically Smith's and Onizuka's, both likely done by Resnik since she was the flight engineer for ascent. The packs only supplied breathing air though, not pressurized oxygen and at that altitude pressure suits would have been needed to maintain any useable consciousness.

[@JarrodFLif3r]

@@JMChladek I had someone inside knowledge. The general consensus from the astronaut community was that at least some of the crew was conscious and knew their fate. The crew compartment likely did not fully depressurize upon the breakup so the lack of pressure at altitude is irrelevant. Also as I stated the commander or pilot was trying to fly Challenger or regain some control. They had no way to know that the entire vehicle was destroyed but knew it was bad when their inputs did nothing. These control inputs prove that some crew members were conscious and aware. Had the post Challenger measures been implemented from day 1, there is a reasonable(but still perhaps less than 50%) that some of the crew could have survived by bailing out of the crew compartment(once it was under 15,000 feet) and parachuting into the ocean.

[@dukeford]

@@JarrodFLif3r Loss of cabin pressure could not be determined positively, but items in the cabin showed signs of decompression. If the crew were alive they likely weren't conscious long.

[@mountainmandale1587]

Living in the second closest house to the KSC landing strip, I watched the whole thing right in my backyard. RIP. I ended up getting a little something from the wreckage and it is special to me.

[@davidc6032]

I was in college at the time and clearly remember telling my sister that it was going to 'blow up'. I was half joking, but the sequence of events in the days leading up to launch day just felt wrong, especially the cold weather. Of course, I had no idea about the O rings, so how all those people that did know, were told it was a threat and still gave the green light, live with themselves, I have no idea. It must've been a living nightmare for the people who knew the threats but were ignored and all they could do is watch. I went off to class that morning without watching the launch and had no idea about the disaster until coming home, flipping on the news and saw a very somber and grim Dan Rather with CBS reporting the news.

[@MovieMakingMan]

At the 9:27 mark they show Bob Overmyer. He was my direct boss for three years. He was a great guy. I’d go to his office and we’d talk about all kinds of subjects. I was saddened when in 1996 I learned Bob died in a plane crash in Minnesota. He was flying a VK-30 home built aircraft. There was a huge standing room only memorial in the Methodist church on El Camino road just a couple of miles from NASA/JSC. I was on the same team with his daughter. She was so sharp. She got her pilots license in her early 20s. She was always a joy to work with.

[@jeffmilroy9345]

Did the VK-30 have design issues?

[@MovieMakingMan]

@@jeffmilroy9345 From what I’ve read it had several design issues. They were hand built was a big one. Even though pilots like Bob Overmeyer were extremely competent people individuals are not as proficient if thorough as teams of aircraft designers and assembly workers. Construction of aircraft require so much redundancy and inspections to make sure an aircraft is perfectly airworthy. While pilots are very skilled people they don’t have the experience in building aircraft as the professionals.

[@timothyblevins1345]

I'll never forget this day. I was in the 3rd grade. Our teacher let us choose. Either go outside and play or watch the launch live. I choose recess but when we came in all the students who watched were balling their eyes out in horror.

[@heisensaul5538]

If I would have been in that situation, I probably would have decided to watch the launch :(

[@gregrowe1168]

I was in 6th grade, we all watched it on tv.

[@jamesdavidson676]

Such a very tragic accident. R.I.P. for all of them.

[@jikan-tabi-1888]

Safety, risk mgmt, quality testing, historical data, questions from all angles, etc should have been exhausted when it comes to rockets and space travel. This type of travel has always been dangerous even when everything is right. RIP 1986 and 2003.

[@toddclean547]

People should have gone to jail for this. It was nothing less than criminal.

[@deefrash9806]

I was a sophmore in high school when this happened. I'll never forget where I was when I heard about it. So sad and tragic that it all could have been avoided.

[@nofrenz2065]

I heardyou were getting turned up by 5 midgets behind a Porta Jon.

[@stevesgaming7475]

I remember seeing it live on TV, I was utterly shocked but as I'm a space nerd I knew instantly there was zero chance of them surviving. RIP Crew. Also, I just can't imagine those two plus minutes as the crew cabin was falling down, those two minutes must have felt like hours to them. it's so horrible :(

[@SteveBrownRocks2023]

I was watching the Challenger launch on TV when it exploded. It was just horrible to see & know the crew stood no chance at all. Even more horrifying; image having to recover their “bodies” months later from the ocean. Horrible. 😢😞

[@garyskadra5236]

I will never forget where I was when this happened. I was 15 in a rehab for smoking pot. The other kids in my grade & myself watched it live in the school that was inside the rehab. It was unbelievable & sad 😢

[@zannebrazeau]

me too it was my senior yr and we watched it in assembly l was 19

[@malcoop1952]

You still smoke? That would be good reason 2 start 2 me... I wasn't born yet..

[@garyskadra5236]

@@malcoop1952 no not for a few years. It was more fun when I was younger. I did stop for a while after rehab. I needed to do better in school.

[@youtube_chaplain]

ATTENTION!!!! Heaven and Hell are real... Is your heart right with God? We can not hide our sins from God. Jesus Christ loves you and He died for our sins. If you will REPENT of your sins and put your faith in Jesus Christ as your Lord and Savior, you will be saved and your name will be written into the Book of Life. Revelation 20:15 Anyone whose name was not found written in the book of life was thrown into the lake of fire. "Salvation Prayer" Dear Heavenly Father, I come to you, to confess that I am a sinner. I have done some things in my life that I am not proud of and I repent of my sins. I believe that Jesus died on the cross for my sins and that He arose from the grave and that He is alive today. I ask that you forgive me of my sins and come into my heart... I proclaim that Jesus Christ is my Lord and Savior. AMEN...

[@stephenduke6612]

Funny. I was 15 too. It was a snow day and I was smoking pot in my friends basement when it happened. Jealous?

[@ViperGamings]

RIP always forever in our hearts Apollo one astronauts, Challenger astronauts, Columbia astronauts god speed. 😥😢

[@esbam2002]

In college, for my Sociology class, the book talked about that and that the problem was known. It was used as an example of Janis's Theory on Group Think. As higher ups, assumed for financial reasons, wanted the launch to happen and shut out any dissent.