The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) was eager to launched the Space Shuttle Challenger, one of its greatest accomplishments, for its 10th time. In its previous trips, the Space Shuttle Challenger deployed 10 satellites, spent 62 days 7 hours 56 minutes and 22 seconds in space, traveled 25,803,936 miles and did 995 orbits around Earth. The Space Shuttle Challenger had been sitting on the launch pad since December 23, 1984 and the scheduled launch had been postponed three times due to technical difficulties and extreme weather conditions.
On January 28, 1985 the Space Shuttle Challenger was scheduled for launch again with the seven astronauts strapped in ready to go. One of the astronauts being the first teacher to go into space, Christa McAuliffe, who planned to give lessons while in orbit. NASA ran its checklist, but unfortunately Roger Boisjoly, a junior engineer working for the solid booster manufacturer, did not give the go. Cold temperatures and high winds create severe difficulties for the manufacturing of the shuttle. A previous launch of a Space Shuttle in a temperature of 53 degrees, showed that an O-ring, a small washer-like seal in the rocket, failed to seal properly. On January 28th, the temperature was 26 degrees and Boisjoly …show more content…
Plans to fly other civilians in space were prohibited for decades, satellite launches were shifted from the shuttle to reusable rockets, and astronauts were pulled off of repair duties. In their meetings after the Challenger explosion, the commission talked about the technical issues, as well as, the failing to voice all problems to the launch decision team. The commission also said that the shuttle's proposed flight rate was unsustainable given the size of its workforce. NASA made technical changes to the shuttle and also worked to change the culture of its workforce in the wake of what happened with
On January 28, 1985 the Space Shuttle Challenger was scheduled for launch again with the seven astronauts strapped in ready to go. One of the astronauts being the first teacher to go into space, Christa McAuliffe, who planned to give lessons while in orbit. NASA ran its checklist, but unfortunately Roger Boisjoly, a junior engineer working for the solid booster manufacturer, did not give the go. Cold temperatures and high winds create severe difficulties for the manufacturing of the shuttle. A previous launch of a Space Shuttle in a temperature of 53 degrees, showed that an O-ring, a small washer-like seal in the rocket, failed to seal properly. On January 28th, the temperature was 26 degrees and Boisjoly …show more content…
Plans to fly other civilians in space were prohibited for decades, satellite launches were shifted from the shuttle to reusable rockets, and astronauts were pulled off of repair duties. In their meetings after the Challenger explosion, the commission talked about the technical issues, as well as, the failing to voice all problems to the launch decision team. The commission also said that the shuttle's proposed flight rate was unsustainable given the size of its workforce. NASA made technical changes to the shuttle and also worked to change the culture of its workforce in the wake of what happened with