Seven crew, the Rogers Commission and a joint seal
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Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff on 28 January 1986, ending mission STS-51-L and the lives of all seven crew: Dick Scobee, Michael Smith, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Gregory Jarvis and Christa McAuliffe. The Rogers Commission found that a seal in the aft field joint of the right solid rocket booster had failed.
12 video perspectives
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6:57
Challenger STS-51L, carrying seven crew including teacher Christa McAuliffe, began to disintegrate 73 seconds after liftoff on January 28, 1986, killing all seven.
Published 20 Jul 2019
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27:42
A minute-by-minute account of Challenger mission STS-51-L, which launched on January 28, 1986 and broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven crew.
Published 24 Jul 2023
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44:24
A National Geographic special built from archival news reports and NASA footage follows Christa McAuliffe's selection as the first Teacher in Space, the crew's training, and the launch of Challenger…
Published 25 Jan 2025
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48:08
Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, and all seven astronauts died.
Published 27 Sep 2025
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