Seven American spacefarers were killed in a tragic event 40 years ago today that has become widely known as the Challenger disaster.

On Jan. 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after takeoff. All seven crew members on board were killed. The disaster was one of the most significant events in NASA history, watched live by millions of people around the world.

Former astronaut and professor Terry Hart is opening up 40 years later about the friends and colleagues he lost on board the space shuttle Challenger explosion.

NASA’s 1986 Challenger mission was intended to inspire students to consider a future in space. The crew’s family is continuing their legacy.

The tragic explosion of the Challenger space shuttle killed all 7 spacefarers on board. A pilot for the mission was from North Carolina.

Forty years ago, Americans were shocked when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after it launched on a chilly day in Florida.

The Challenger explosion was an awakening for people in the 1980s. It shook confidence in received narratives of safety.

Steve Hawley, who flew five space shuttle missions, and Krista Schaffer, a first-grade teacher at Christa McAuliffe Elementary in Lenexa reflect on the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster.