It's been 40 years since the Challenger space shuttle disaster. This archival footage shows the launch day emotions and the heartbreak that followed. http://www.wlwt.com/article/challenger-40-christa-mcauliffe/70170105 | WLWT

NASA’s STS-115 mission in 2006, this footage shows the Space Shuttle External Tank separating from Space Shuttle Atlantis and falling back toward Earth after doing its job. The massive orange tank supplied liquid hydrogen and oxygen to the shuttle’s main engines during ascent. Once empty, it was safely jettisoned, re-entered Earth’s atmosphere, and broke apart over the ocean — a planned and critical step in every shuttle launch. Moments like this remind us how precise and powerful human spacefli

The Challenger space shuttle took off on Jan. 28, 1986. Seventy-three seconds later, the mission ended in an explosion and a disaster. But, even through the tragedy, the lives and legacy of the crew have endured, especially that of Christa McAuliffe, who even all these years later, is still changing lives. https://www.wmur.com/article/space-shuttle-challenger-disaster-anniversary-2026/70145107 #christamcauliffe #nh #newhampshire #nasa #spaceshuttlechallenger #spaceshuttle #challenger | WMUR-TV