Challenger disaster, crew launch preparations. Footage of members of the shuttle crew being prepared by ground crew technicians for mission STS-51-L, flown by the Space Shuttle Challenger on 28 January 1986. The shuttle disintegrated 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. The preparation for the mission included full dress rehearsals for the launch. The launch itself was originally scheduled for 22 January, but was postponed several times. This footage shows the shuttle on its launch pad, and Ellison Onizuka, Christa McAuliffe, Judith Resnik, and Ronald McNair with ground crew. |