Challenger (Space Shuttle)

The Challenger was a NASA Space Shuttle that tragically broke apart 73 seconds after launch on January 28, 1986, leading to the deaths of all seven astronauts on board. The disaster was caused by a failure in the O-rings, seals designed to prevent hot gases from escaping the rocket boosters. Despite concerns from engineers about the cold weather at launch, the shuttle launched as scheduled. This incident highlighted the importance of safety in space exploration and led to significant changes in NASA's protocols and practices to prevent future tragedies.