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Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

4.3(6)
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About the book

The definitive, dramatic, minute-by-minute story of the Challenger disaster based on new archival research and in-depth reporting.

On January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle 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 9/11 or JFK’s assassination, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-century history—yet the details of what took place that day, and why, have largely been forgotten. Until now.

Based on extensive archival records and meticulous, original reporting, Challenger follows a handful of central protagonists—including each of the seven members of the doomed crew—through the years leading up to the accident, a detailed account of the tragedy itself, and into the investigation that followed. It’s a tale of optimism and promise undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; of hubris and heroism; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light. Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and ultimately kept from the public.

Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program, 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.

Editions (5)

ISBN9780241543696
PublisherViking
Publication Date06/13/24
Pages576

Reviews & Ratings

6 ratings

1 reviews

4.3

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  • c7n
    c7n

    8 Followers

    4.0

    Das Buch erzählt die Geschichte hinter dem Absturz des Space-Shuttle Challenger im Jahr 1986 – sachlich und präzise, aber gleichzeitig sehr packend. Der Stil ist zwar dokumentarisch, aber das Buch doch so aufgebaut, dass man beim Lesen mitfiebert. Obwohl es ein Sachbuch ist, fühlt es sich durch den Fokus auf die Astronauten, die Ingenieure und die Entscheider hinter dem Unglück stellenweise an wie ein spannender Roman. Nach vielen Kapiteln kann man nur den Kopf schütteln, wie viele Warnzeichen ignoriert wurden und wie groß das systemische Versagen schlussendlich war. Es geht nicht nur um Technik oder Raumfahrt, sondern auch um Ambitionen, Druck und Fehleinschätzungen und schließlich um eine Tragödie, die wohl vermeidbar gewesen wäre.

    Jun 28, 2025

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