One of the most horrifying experiences that many watched on TV was the space shutter Challenger exploding. Only 73 seconds into its flight, the Challenger exploded and killed all of the astronauts. This is an occurrence that many have heard of, but did you know these facts?
FACT 1: NOT LIVE
For those who watched this occurrence, they most likely watched it via a replay. Back in the day, very few people had access to satellite dishes, and NASA made the flight available to those who did. So, what most people thought was the live broadcast of the event, was nothing more than a re-run.
FACT 2: SPACE CHALLENGER EXPLODED
The definition of an explosion has a few words that highlight it. These words include blowing, shattering, and shock wave. However, none of these things occurred when the space shuttle Challenger was destroyed. Instead, the people on the ground heard a loud sound, and the engines on the space shuttle were being torn apart.
FACT 3: THE CREW’S DEATH
The deaths of the crew were confirmed during the time, but many believe that they died instantly. However, all evidence gathered during the investigation pointed to the fact that the crew was alive the entire time the Challenger was in the air.
FACT 4: THE PRESSURE
During the time of this flight, there was a lot of pressure on NASA to launch this program. However, it can be concluded that political pressure did not force the launch. Instead, the driving factor in the minds of the launch officials were the two shuttle-launched planetary probes.
FACT 5: THE BOOSTER FLAWS
There is no denying that the side-mounted booster rockets, on the Challenger, experienced flaws during this tragedy. However, this flaw was not the reason for the crash because they were not necessarily dangerous if properly operated.
