Remembering Challenger: 26 Years Later

Twenty-six years ago, the space shuttle Challenger, carrying six astronauts and schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe, exploded in a burst of fire 74 seconds after liftoff, killing all seven aboard and stunning a world made witness to the event by television.

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The crew of the space shuttle Challenger. From left to right: Ellison Onizuka, Mike Smith, Christa McAuliffe, Dick Scobee, Greg Jarvis, Ron McNair and Judy Resnick. The Challenger exploded shortly after lifting off from Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 28, 1986.

/ AP

Jan. 28, 1986

Challenger explodes shortly after liftoff. All seven crew members died in the explosion, which was later blamed on faulty O-rings in the shuttle's booster rockets. The disaster shattered NASA's image and the belief that space travel could become routine.

Bruce Weaver / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

Christine Rooth places a flower in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at a remembrance ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster.

John Raoux / AP

Jan. 27, 2011

A red rose rests on a marker for Challenger commander Francis R. "Dick" Scobee during the annual National Day of Remembrance ceremony in the Astronaut Memorial Tree Grove at the Johnson Space Center in Houston. NASA holds the agency-wide Day of Remembrance every January to honor the fallen crews of Apollo 1, Challenger and Columbia.

Smiley N. Pool / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

Stephen Feldman, president and chief executive of the Astronauts Memorial Foundation, speaks in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at Kennedy Space Center during a remembrance ceremony to mark the 25th anniversary of the Challenger disaster.

John Raoux / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

Pat Cassidy wipes her eye during the Challenger remembrance ceremony at Kennedy Space Center.

John Raoux / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

June Scobee Rodgers, widow of Challenger commander Dick Scobee, speaks during the remembrance ceremony at Kennedy Space Center.

John Raoux / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

People hold flowers and stand quietly during the Challenger remembrance ceremony at Kennedy Space Center.

John Raoux / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

A flower arrangement with a model space shuttle, left by someone attending the Challenger remembrance ceremony, sits on a railing in front of the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral.

John Raoux / AP

Jan. 27, 2011

Sandy Anderson, widow of space shuttle Columbia astronaut Michael Anderson, is comforted by astronaut Carlos Noriega during the annual National Day of Remembrance ceremony in the Astronaut Memorial Tree Grove at the Johnson Space Center in Houston.

Smiley N. Pool / AP

Jan. 26, 2011

Henry Cruz looks at Challenger replica honoring USAF Col. Ellison Onizuka, the first Japanese American astronaut, who died in the Challenger explosion.

Nick Ut / AP

Jan. 28, 2011

Kelly Garfield, a former student of Christa McAuliffe's, visits her grave site in Concord, N.H., at 11:38 a.m., Challenger's liftoff time 25 years ago.

Jim Cole / AP

Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire, was aboard Challenger when it exploded shortly after liftoff. A high school history teacher with an intense interest in the contributions of common people throughout history, McAuliffe, 37, saw herself as a pioneer.

/ AP

Jan. 28, 1986

Challenger lifts off Pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center at 11:38 a.m. EST. At full power, it climbed, riding a 700-foot pillar of fire into a cold but cloudless sky. Mission controllers then gave Smith, the shuttle's pilot, the go-ahead for full power. Smith replied, "Roger. Go at throttle up."

/ AP

Jan. 28, 1986

Classmates of the son of America's first schoolteacher astronaut cheer as Challenger lifts skyward. Their delight soon turned into horror as the shuttle exploded 74 seconds into flight.

Jim Cole / AP

Jan. 28, 1986

Christa McAuliffe's family -- her sister Betsy, front, and parents Grace and Ed Corrigan -- reacts to the tragedy. "She was a symbol of hope and of optimism for teachers and students around the nation," said Albert Shanker, president of the American Federation of Teachers.

Jim Cole / AP

Jan. 28, 1986

President Ronald Reagan spoke to the nation after the explosion. Of the crew, he said: "We will never forget them nor the last time we saw them -- this morning -- as they prepared for their journey and waved goodbye, and slipped the surly bonds of Earth to touch the face of God."

Dennis Cook / AP

April 29, 1986

A military honor guard carries the remains of one of the crew members of Challenger at Kennedy Space Center. Besides carrying the first schoolteacher astronaut, the shuttle mission is remembered as having one of the most diverse crews in the history of space travel.

Phil Sandlin / AP

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