#Nasa space shuttle explosion 1986 series

Sadly, it was known that O-rings could fail. Could the Challenger disaster have been prevented? (Many outlets at the time incorrectly reported that the craft had exploded.) The cabin that the crew was inside remained intact throughout the craft's disintegration, but two minutes and forty-five seconds after breakup, the cabin hit the ocean surface at about 207 mph, which was 'far in excess of the structural limits of the crew compartment or crew survivability levels,' as this archived version of the report on the deaths of the crew explains. Structural failure occurred when pressurized burning gas from the solid rocket motor reached the external fuel tank, which then disintegrated, leading to Challenger being ripped apart. The morning of the 1986 space flight was much colder than previous Challenger launches, and the primary O-ring became cold and hard and couldn't seal properly. That seal helps to prevent liquids or gases from escaping. The Challenger accident was caused by a design flaw in the spacecraft's O-rings, which are mechanical gaskets that are designed to be seated in a groove and then compressed in between two surfaces, creating a seal at the interface. What caused the Space Shuttle Challenger accident in 1986? Here's what you need to know about the 1986 Challenger disaster.

#Nasa space shuttle explosion 1986 series

The series will include rare archival footage and interviews with former NASA officials, engineers, and the crew's surviving family members.Īnd while the disaster has remained ingrained in the public's mind for the 34 years since it occurred, many still don't know what exactly caused the incident.

Now, Netflix is examining the events leading up to and after the disaster in a new four-part docuseries, Challenger: The Final Flight. The incident forever changed the way NASA operated its space shuttle program. The 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster was a shocking tragedy, and it was made all the more devastating due to the fact that the spacecraft's disintegration was broadcast on live TV. Netflix will explore the Challenger disaster in a newly released docuseries.Unfortunately, a structural failure led to the spacecraft's disintegration just 73 seconds after its launch at the Kennedy Space Center, killing all seven crew members on board.The purpose of the JanuChallenger flight, STS-51-L, was to launch the first Teacher in Space Project while also observing Halley's Comet for six days.