Remembering: The Challenger

NASA's second shuttle, The Challenger, began trips to space on April 4, 1983.

The shuttle's tenth trip was scheduled for January 22, 1986, but was delayed due to cold weather.

Plans continued for the liftoff to take place a week later, despite the warnings of engineers that certain parts weren't designed to withstand the cold temperatures.

On January 28, 1986, at 11:39 EST, Challenger lifted off and as the nation watched she and her crew died.

Investigations later showed that it was the O ring seal on the solid rocket booster which had broken and failed.

That caused a fire, which damaged the external fuel tank.

Seventy-three seconds, after liftoff, Challenger began breaking up, after which she fell into the Atlantic Ocean.

Aboard her had been a crew of seven: Commander Francis R. Scobee, forty-six; Pilot Michael J. Smith, forty; Mission Specialist Judith A. Resnik, thirty-six; Mission Specialist Ronald E. McNair, thirty-five; Mission Specialist Ellison S. Onizuka, thirty-nine; guest scientist Gregory B. Jarvis, forty-one; and guest teacher Sharon C. McAuliffe, thirty-seven.