The Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart just 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, killing all seven crew members

Forty years ago, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after liftoff. Seven astronauts were killed, including teacher-in-space Christa McAuliffe. It was a devastating blow to the U.S. space program and a national tragedy for the country.

Forty years after the Challenger disaster, NPR explores the engineers' last-minute efforts to stop the launch, their decades of guilt and the vital lessons that remain critical for NASA today.

Wednesday marked 40 years since the space shuttle Challenger accident that killed seven crew members. The mission was not just to launch satellites but to launch the first teacher in space.

How a cold morning, failed O-rings, and flawed decision-making led to tragedy Forty years ago, Space Shuttle Challenger disintegrated 73 seconds into its flight, killing its crew of seven and exposing the management culture and decision-making process that led NASA to launch on a freezing January day.

Forty years after the Challenger disaster, the tragedy is remembered not only for the seven lives lost, but for the engineer who tried to stop the launch and was ignored.

A reflection on the Jan. 12, 1986, launch of Space Shuttle Columbia’s STS-61-C mission, published on the Challenger anniversary.

Forty years ago, Americans were shocked when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after it launched on a chilly day in Florida.

Remembering a tragedy that happened 40 years ago.One that took the lives of seven astronauts, including Christina McAuliffe, the first teacher<a class="excerpt-read-more" href=" More