A defining moment in 20th century history

On January 28, 1986, seventy-three seconds into flight, the Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of a crew including New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future.

Based on extensive archival research and meticulous, original reporting, Higginbotham reveals the lives of men and women whose stories have been overshadowed by the disaster as well as the designers, engineers and test pilots who struggled against the odds to get the first shuttle into space. Challenger is a riveting history that reads like a thriller.

Review Quote

“Gripping and memorable, a definitive account of an American tragedy.” —Ed Caesar, author of The Moth and the Mountain

Additional Book Details