Challenger :: essays research papers

January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle challenger the 25th space shuttle mission, was set to be launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida at, 1138am. primitively the launch was scheduled for January 22, at 343pm but had been set back several times due to bad weather. Hopes ran towering the anticipation for the lift stumble was tremendous. This was to be one of the greatest missions ever. It would be a first for many things. The most publicized was that it would be the first time a schoolteacher was allowed to be active in space. The crew was picked and they were anxiously awaiting the countdown. On board the space shuttle that fateful day was.. Crew of the contestMichael J. Smith (Pilot)Francis R. Scobee (Commander)Judith A. Resnik (Mission medical specialist 1)Ellison S. Onizuka (Mission Specialist 2)Ronald E. McNair (Mission Specialist 3)Gregory B. Jarvis (Payload Specialist 1)Sharon Christa McAuliffe (Payload Specialist 2)3,2,1..Lift off..The 10th flight of the Space Shut tle Challenger and the twenty-fifth space shuttle mission, the Challenger had been launched from Pad 39B at 1138am EST. Hopes ran high as many were lined outside to watch the Challenger being launched, the lift-off was being watched live on television for those who couldnt make it to the Kennedy Space Center. As the Challenger climbed higher and higher something that wasnt expected occurred. Seventy-three seconds after lift-off the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded, killing all 7 crewmembers. The United States was devastated. Many people ideal this would be one of the greatest missions ever. So what really happened? Many factors contributed to the explosion of the space shuttle. The temperature was 36F at the launching site. After the Solid rise Boosters a.k.a. SRB was ignited a thundering noise was heard. Pictures and video showed black smoke coming from the bottom field joint of the right Solid Rocket Booster. That suggested that an O ring was being burned. At 58.8 seconds after lift-off a small flame could be seen on the SRB with enhanced film a few seconds later it could be seen without enhanced film. More time passed by the flame grew bigger and the SRB was beginning to rotate freely and in less than 2 seconds the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded. The Challenger was at a height of 46,000 feet when it exploded.