Anniversary of Challenger disaster

Library ISBN 978-0-7660-4073-1

On this day in 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded 72 seconds after it took off from Florida's Cape Canaveral. A history teacher, Christa McAuliffe, was the first passenger/observer of the Teacher in Space Program.

In Space Shuttle Disaster, author Henry M. Holden describes what happened that day, which was the worst tragedy in the history of the space program. Author Holden explains the background of the launch, including issues with ice because Florida had recently been experiencing very cold temperatures. There were three different types of astronauts on the shuttle: the flight crew, mission specialists, and payload specialists. Job descriptions for each astronaut type is explained.

After the tragedy, President Ronald Reagan created a special commission to determine how this accident happened, and how to prevent something like this from happening again in the future. The commission came up with recommendations, however those recommendations had to be backed up with physical proof.

This book (and the entire series) would be of interest to the student fascinated with space flight, as well as discovering and exploring space.