1. The Challenger Disaster By Diana Clarke

2. The Orbiter Dimensions: 122’ L x 78’ W x 57’ H Dimensions: 122’ L x 78’ W x 57’ H Crew size: Up to 8 people Crew size: Up to 8 people Weight: 160,000 lbs (unfueled) Weight: 160,000 lbs (unfueled) 3 SSME’s 3 SSME’s - Single engine produces 375,000 lbs of thrust - 104% thrust (sea level / vacuum): 393,800 lbf / 488,800 lbf

3. The External Liquid Fuel Tank (EFT) Fuels the 3 SSME’s Fuels the 3 SSME’s Carries liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen Carries liquid hydrogen and liquid oxygen Attached to the bottom of the orbiter Attached to the bottom of the orbiter Capacity Capacity - top portion: 143,000 gallons of liquid oxygen - bottom portion: 385,000 gallons of liquid hydrogen

4. The Solid Rocket Boosters (SRB) Attached to the EFT Attached to the EFT Most powerful boosters ever built Most powerful boosters ever built Provide 80% (approx 3.3 million lbs) of thrust at launch Provide 80% (approx 3.3 million lbs) of thrust at launch Burn time: 2 minutes Burn time: 2 minutes Jettisoned after fuel exhaust Jettisoned after fuel exhaust

5. Challenger Accomplishments 1 st seven and eight member crews in orbit 1 st seven and eight member crews in orbit 1 st EVA (cargo bay) 1 st EVA (cargo bay) 1 st to carry a female astronaut 1 st to carry a female astronaut 1 st night launch and landing 1 st night launch and landing 1 st untethered manwalk from an orbiter 1 st untethered manwalk from an orbiter 1 st capture, repair & redeploy of non functioning satellites 1 st capture, repair & redeploy of non functioning satellites 2 nd orbiter to fly in space 2 nd orbiter to fly in space

6. The Crew Francis Scobee (Commander) Michael J. Smith (Pilot) Ronald McNair (Mission Specialist) Judith A. Resnick (Mission Specialist) Gregory B. Jarvis (Payload Specialist) Sharon Christa McAuliffe (Payload Specialist) Ellison Onizuka (Mission Specialist)

7. STS – 25 Mission Flight Plan 6 days, 34 minutes 6 days, 34 minutes Objectives Objectives - Technology - Science - Public education

8. Launch Delays Original launch date January 22, 1986 Original launch date January 22, 1986 Changed to January 23 rd and 24 th Changed to January 23 rd and 24 th - due to previous mission Reset to January 25 th Reset to January 25 th - bad weather at TAL - bad weather at TAL Postponed one more day to January 26 th Postponed one more day to January 26 th - lift off time not met - lift off time not met Reset to January 27 th Reset to January 27 th - hatch problems/weather concerns - hatch problems/weather concerns Rescheduled to January 28, 1986 at 9:38 am Rescheduled to January 28, 1986 at 9:38 am

9. Pre-Launch Concerns 01/28/86 1:30 am - Ice formation noted 1:30 am - Ice formation noted 7:00 am - Icicles found hanging at launch site 7:00 am - Icicles found hanging at launch site 8:30 am - Crew enters shuttle 8:30 am - Crew enters shuttle - 2 hour delay (fire detection system failure) 9:00 am – Mission management team meets one last time 9:00 am – Mission management team meets one last time

10. The Tragedy 11:38 Lift-off (T=0) 11:38 Lift-off (T=0) T+.678 Puff of smoke T+.678 Puff of smoke T+.836 and 2.50 Puffs of smoke darken T+3.375 Last Puff of smoke is seen T+58.788 Plume noted T+59.262 Well-defined plume T+60.00 Telemetry pressure differential noted

11. The Tragedy T+64.660 Flame breaches EFT T+72.20 Lower strut attaching SRB to EFT severed T+72.525 Sudden acceleration to the right T+73.00 Smith, “Uh oh…” T+73.124 Beginning of structural failure T+73.162 Vehicle break-up begins

12. The Tragedy T+79.00 Smoke and flame captured by TV tracking camera http://spaceflightnow.com/challenger/video/launch_qt.html

13. Roger’s Commission Presidential Commission Presidential Commission - Sally Ride, Neil Armstrong, Chuck Yeager and others Investigation Investigation - Cause of failure Findings Findings - O-Rings - Weather - Ineffective communication Recommendations Recommendations - Redesign O-rings - Escape system - Better communication - Better communication

14. “All of a sudden, space isn’t friendly. All of a sudden, it’s a place where people can die…Many more people are going to die. But we can’t explore space if the requirement is that there be no casualties; we can’t do anything if the requirement is that there be no casualties” – Isaac Asimov