Liftoff Videos

Every mission, with the videos that tell it

Dick Scobee

Portrait photograph of Dick Scobee

Photo: NASA / Public domain (US government work)

Dick Scobee (1939–1986), full name Francis Richard Scobee, was a US Air Force officer and test pilot. He first flew in space in 1984 as pilot of STS-41-C, the mission that captured and repaired the Solar Maximum satellite. He was commander of Challenger on STS-51-L. The shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members, and he never completed that mission. He had joined the Air Force as an enlisted mechanic and later earned an engineering degree and a pilot’s wings.

Born
19 May 1939
Died
28 January 1986
Country
United States
Flights
2: STS-41-C (1984), STS-51-L (1986)
Time in space
6 days 23 hours

Data as of 2 November 2026. Source: Wikidata (CC0). All people who have flown in space.

Events

Videos on this topic

The videos, in date order

Drag, zoom or press play to watch them on this page.

  1. Challenger STS-51L: How Cold O-Rings Led to the 1986 Disaster

    Mr. Beat

  2. Challenger STS-51-L: The 73 Seconds From Liftoff to Breakup

    The Infographics Show

  3. Challenger 51-L: From Teacher in Space to the Loss of Seven Crew

    National Geographic

  4. Challenger: How a Cold-Weather O-Ring Failure Led to the Disaster

    Free Documentary – Space

  5. Challenger STS-51-L: Cold, O-Rings and the Rogers Commission

    DocuReal

  6. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Ring Failure, Cold Launch and Return to Flight

    FilmRise Television

  7. Challenger STS-51-L: The Night Engineers Said Don’t Launch

    Margin of Loss

  8. Challenger STS-51-L: The Seals, the Cold and 73 Seconds

    Horror Archive

  9. Challenger’s Wreckage: Why NASA Sealed It in Missile Silos

    Rocketyard

  10. Challenger: How Thiokol’s Engineers Were Overruled the Night Before

    Hubris Engine

  11. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Rings, Cold and the Overruled Warning

    Cindermap

  12. Challenger STS-51-L: The Cold O-Ring and the Launch Call

    Matter & Empire

  13. Challenger STS-51-L: The O-Ring Warning and the 73-Second Flight

    CliphangerEntertainment

  14. Space Shuttle Story in a Card Box: Enterprise, Challenger, Columbia

    The Record Institute
Play video: Space Shuttle Story in a Card Box: Enterprise, Challenger, Columbia

Space Shuttle Story in a Card Box: Enterprise, Challenger, Columbia

The Record Institute

Duration 10:37

Watch video

Dates are when each video was first published on YouTube.

All the videos

  1. Challenger: How Thiokol’s Engineers Were Overruled the Night Before

    DocumentaryHubris Engine · 9:18

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  2. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Rings, Cold and the Overruled Warning

    DocumentaryCindermap · 14:58

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  3. Challenger STS-51-L: The O-Ring Warning and the 73-Second Flight

    DocumentaryCliphangerEntertainment · 5:20

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  5. Challenger STS-51-L: O-Ring Failure, Cold Launch and Return to Flight

    DocumentaryFilmRise Television · 46:49

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  6. Challenger STS-51-L: The Night Engineers Said Don’t Launch

    DocumentaryMargin of Loss · 21:26

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  7. Challenger STS-51-L: The Seals, the Cold and 73 Seconds

    DocumentaryHorror Archive · 28:39

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  8. Challenger STS-51-L: The Cold O-Ring and the Launch Call

    DocumentaryMatter & Empire · 21:46

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  9. Challenger’s Wreckage: Why NASA Sealed It in Missile Silos

    DocumentaryRocketyard · 13:57

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  10. Challenger: How a Cold-Weather O-Ring Failure Led to the Disaster

    DocumentaryFree Documentary – Space · 48:08

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  11. Challenger STS-51-L: The 73 Seconds From Liftoff to Breakup

    DocumentaryThe Infographics Show · 27:42

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  12. Challenger 51-L: From Teacher in Space to the Loss of Seven Crew

    DocumentaryNational Geographic · 44:24

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  13. Challenger STS-51L: How Cold O-Rings Led to the 1986 Disaster

    DocumentaryMr. Beat · 6:57

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

  14. Challenger STS-51-L: Cold, O-Rings and the Rogers Commission

    DocumentaryDocuReal · 42:24

    Mission: Challenger STS-51-L (1986)

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