The Explosion
Image courtesy of NASA
- 11:38 AM (T+0s): Space Shuttle Challenger lifts off from Launch Complex 39B.
- T+58 seconds: A plume of black smoke is seen near the right SRB, indicating a failure in the O-ring seal.
- T+73 seconds: The external fuel tank ruptured, causing a disintegration of the orbiter. The shuttle breaks apart mid-air, and debris falls into the Atlantic Ocean.
The Challenger was torn apart by aerodynamic forces after the external fuel tank failed.
"Hearing it didn't really bother me but really seeing it with my own eyes, it just really scared me, bugged me, everything."
- A 7th grader's reaction
Video courtesy of Eyewitness News ABC7NY
Image courtesy of NASA
Newspaper courtesy of Daily Record
Some switches in the cockpit were manually activated, suggesting The crew, including Christa McAuliffe, was alive and potentially attempting to regain control. However, with no escape system, they had no way to survive the impact. The cabin fell from 50,000 feet and hit the ocean at 207 mph. The force of impact was fatal.