Forty years ago, the U.S. space shuttle Challenger set out on a mission to not just launch satellites but to carry the first teacher into space and to inspire the promise of spaceflight into classrooms. The seven crew members reflected a broad spectrum of American society, including two women, the first Asian American astronaut and the second Black astronaut.One of the women was set to be the first teacher in space and was planning to conduct experiments and teach lessons from the Challenger space trip. The main goal of mission STS-51-L was to launch a second Tracking and Data Relay Satellite. It also carried the Spartan Halley satellite that was supposed to be released by the shuttle, observe Halley’s Comet during its closest approach to the sun and then be picked back up by the Challenger two days later.But shortly after launch on a cold and clear Florida morning, Challenger exploded, killing all seven crew members. It became one of the most devastating moments in U.S. history.What happened?On Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Fla. It had been delayed until 11:38 a.m. ET due to thick ice on the launch pad after central Florida experienced a severe cold wave the night before.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementA catastrophic failure occurred 73 seconds after liftoff as the shuttle emerged from “Max-Q,” the period of highest mechanical stress in the lower atmosphere. T …
