The Challenger disaster occurred 40 years ago this year. On Jan. 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into the 25th launch of the Space Shuttle program. It was mission STS-51-L. All seven people aboard were killed, including Christa McAuliffe, the first participant in the Teacher in Space Project.
“Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space” examines the tragedy. In this award-winning book, British-American writer Adam Higginbotham gives a comprehensive look at NASA, its culture in 1986, the events leading up to the launch decision, and the aftermath of Challenger’s loss, including the investigation into the causes of the loss.
