I found the video below, archived by CNN. Here are the words US NEWS SOURCE used to describe this tragic event in our space history:
NASA’s most visible failure marks its 25th anniversary today. On January 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger exploded seventy-three seconds after its launch. A special ceremony is taking place at Kennedy Space Center to remember the seven astronauts – Commander Dick Scobee, pilot Michael J. Smith, mission specialist Ellison Onizuka, mission specialist Judy Resnik, mission specialist Ron McNair, payload specialist Gregory Jarvis and teacher Christa McAuliffe – who lost their lives on that fateful day.
NASA officials and family members of the deceased astronauts will gather in front of the Space Mirror Memorial to honor the seven crew members. June Scobee Rodgers, the widow of the Challenger’s commander will be speaking as a special guest.
Everything looked perfect on that beautiful blue morning at Kennedy Space Center for another space shuttle launch. For the first time, a teacher was accompanying a team of astronauts. NASA was looking for an educator, an ‘ordinary person’ who could teach while in orbit. 37-year-old social studies teacher Christa McAuliffe was selected from over 11,000 applicants to participate in the NASA Teacher in Space Project. She wrote in her application: “I cannot join the space program and restart my life as an astronaut, but this opportunity to connect my abilities as an educator with my interests in history and space is a unique opportunity to fulfill my early fantasies.” Her task was to conduct a number of experiments and teach two lessons from the Challenger.
CNN was the only network to broadcast the launch live. It took a while before CNN correspondent Tom Mintier realized a disaster was taking place in front of his eyes. The explosion ocurred due to a rubber ‘O-ring’ seal failing on one of the rocket boosters because of low temperatures. This failure caused a leak of very explosive gases.
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