Challenger disaster, launch prior to disintegration. Footage of the Space Shuttle Challenger as it launched on mission STS-51-L. After several days of delay, the launch took place at 11:38 local time (16:38 UTC) from Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center, Florida, USA, on 28 January 1986. The cold conditions on the launch day contributed to the failure of an already defective design element (the O-ring seal in one of the solid rocket boosters). The resulting catastrophic failure led to the shuttle disintegrating just over a minute after launch, killing all seven on board. The members of the crew were US astronauts Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Michael J. Smith, Dick Scobee, Ronald McNair, US engineer Gregory Jarvis, and US high school teacher Christa McAuliffe. This footage goes up to just before the moment of failure and disintegration. For the launch, disintegration and debris trails, see clips K006/3337, K006/3380, K006/3252, K006/3406 and K006/3188. |