35 years ago seven astronauts died in the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986. The Challenger shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff, resulting in the tragic deaths of all seven astronauts on board. The crew members were Francis R. Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Gregory Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe. The incident had a profound impact on the space program and led to significant changes in shuttle design and safety protocols.