This photograph of a fragment of the Challenger’s right wing was part of the evidence gathered by the House Committee on Science and Technology for its investigation of the crash. Investigators determined that the cause of the accident was the effect of cold weather on the “O-ring” pressure seal of the right solid rocket booster.
Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives and Records Administration
Space Shuttle Challenger Wreckage, NASA, ca. April 18, 1986
Risk in Exploration
Space exploration affords numerous benefits, but there are inherent risks. On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff, killing all seven crew members. This was neither the first nor the last such tragedy. After a congressional investigation of the Challenger disaster, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) changed its procedures and the U.S. reaffirmed its commitment to space exploration.
This photograph of a fragment of the Challenger’s right wing was part of the evidence gathered by the House Committee on Science and Technology for its investigation of the crash. Investigators determined that the cause of the accident was the effect of cold weather on the “O-ring” pressure seal of the right solid rocket booster.
Records of the U.S. House of Representatives, National Archives and Records Administration
