Challenger (designation – STA-099, OV-099) – the second space shuttle of the American STS Program. The first flight took place on April 4, 1983, during the mission designated STS-6. The orbiter Challenger was named after the British research vessel HMS „Challenger,” which sailed the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific in the years 1872–1876. The name Challenger was also held by the Lunar Module LM of the Apollo 17 mission.
History and key facts: In the second half of 1978, testing of the STA-099 prototype began, aimed at assessing the endurance of the orbiter’s structure. These tests were conducted by the Lockheed-California company at a test stand in Palmdale previously used for work on the Lockheed L-1011 Tri Star passenger jet. To check the structural strength, a set of hydraulic actuators was used, applying pressures up to 210 kPa. Three powerful actuators pressed on the tail section of the orbiter, simulating the loads occurring during the operation of the main engines. The heating of the vehicle during ascent into the atmosphere was also imitated using electric heating blankets, as well as the cooling of parts of the vehicle in shadow during orbital flight by blowing expanding nitrogen over the structure. Studies were conducted on deformations resulting from uneven heating of different parts of the orbiter. After the completion of the tests, the STA-099 prototype, which was a structural frame of a normal orbiter without equipment, was handed over to the Rockwell company with the intention of rebuilding it. It received the designation OV-099.
The first flight took place on April 4, 1983 (mission STS-6). Challenger completed 9 successful missions before the disaster occurred, carrying, among others, satellites and the Spacelab laboratory.
The tragic STS-51-L mission Launch took place on January 28, 1986, at 16:39 UTC. The goal was to deploy the TDRS-B satellite. In the 73rd second of flight, at an altitude of approximately 14 km, the shuttle exploded. The direct cause of the disaster was the failure of an O-ring seal in the right Solid Rocket Booster (SRB). The seal failed due to the low temperature during launch.
As a result of the explosion, the 7-person crew perished: Francis Scobee (commander), Michael Smith (pilot), Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, Ronald McNair, Christa McAuliffe (teacher), Gregory Jarvis.
The Rogers Commission was established, which revealed flaws in NASA’s management and time pressure. A 32-month break in the space shuttle program followed.
Challenger was the first shuttle lost in a disaster, which became one of the most tragic events in the history of the American space program.
