Science Fact Finder | Space - What Was The Worst Disaster In The U.S. Space Program And What Caused It?

What was the worst disaster in the U.S. space program and what caused it?

The worst disaster in the U.S. space program was the explosion of the space shuttle Challenger, on January 28, 1986. The explosion occurred 73 seconds after lift-off. All seven people on board were killed and the spacecraft was completely destroyed. Those killed included astronauts Gregory Jarvis, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnick, Francis Scobee, Michael Smith, and schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.

The investigation of the Challenger tragedy was performed by the Rogers Commission, established and named for its chairman, former Secretary of State William Rogers. The concluded that it had been caused by a leak in one of the two solid rocket boosters that ignite the main fuel tank. The leak had occurred because of a faulty rubberized seal called an "O-ring."

Although the commission did not...

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