Christa McAuliffe Remembered 40 Years After Space Shuttle Challenger Exploded

CBS Boston

January 28, 2026 / 7:56 AM EST

It's now been 40 years since New Hampshire school teacher Christa McAuliffe died when the space shuttle Challenger exploded.

All seven on board were killed when Challenger broke apart following liftoff on live television on Jan. 28, 1986.

The bitter cold weakened the O-ring seals in Challenger's right solid rocket booster, causing the shuttle to rupture 73 seconds after liftoff. A dysfunctional culture at NASA contributed to that disaster and, 17 years later, to the shuttle Columbia's.

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