Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction • Winner of the Kirkus Nonfiction Prize • Shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • A New York Times Notable Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive, “compelling, and exhaustively researched” (The Washington Post) minute-by-minute account of the Challenger disaster, based on fascinating and new archival research—a riveting history that reads like a thriller.
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 the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-century history—one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future. Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told. Based on extensive archival research and meticulous, original reporting, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space follows a handful of central protagonists—including each of the seven members of the doomed crew—through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the investigation afterward. It’s a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity 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 later hidden from the public. Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and 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. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history—and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.
Vào ngày 28 tháng 1 năm 1986, chỉ 73 giây sau khi cất cánh, tàu con thoi Challenger đã vỡ tan trên Đại Tây Dương, khiến cả 7 người trên tàu thiệt mạng. Hàng triệu người Mỹ đã chứng kiến cái chết bi thảm của phi hành đoàn, trong đó có cô giáo Christa McAuliffe đến từ New Hampshire. Giống như vụ ám sát JFK, thảm họa Challenger là một khoảnh khắc mang tính bước ngoặt trong lịch sử thế kỷ 20 – một sự kiện đã mãi mãi thay đổi cách nước Mỹ nhìn nhận chính mình và cái nhìn lạc quan về tương lai. Tuy nhiên, toàn bộ câu chuyện về những gì đã xảy ra và lý do tại sao lại chưa bao giờ được kể lại.
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction • Winner of the Kirkus Nonfiction Prize • Shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • A New York Times Notable Book
From the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive, “compelling, and exhaustively researched” (The Washington Post) minute-by-minute account of the Challenger disaster, based on fascinating and new archival research—a riveting history that reads like a thriller.
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 the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-century history—one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future. Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told.
Based on extensive archival research and meticulous, original reporting, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space follows a handful of central protagonists—including each of the seven members of the doomed crew—through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the investigation afterward. It’s a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity 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 later hidden from the public.
Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and 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. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history—and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.
Vào ngày 28 tháng 1 năm 1986, chỉ 73 giây sau khi cất cánh, tàu con thoi Challenger đã vỡ tan trên Đại Tây Dương, khiến cả 7 người trên tàu thiệt mạng. Hàng triệu người Mỹ đã chứng kiến cái chết bi thảm của phi hành đoàn, trong đó có cô giáo Christa McAuliffe đến từ New Hampshire. Giống như vụ ám sát JFK, thảm họa Challenger là một khoảnh khắc mang tính bước ngoặt trong lịch sử thế kỷ 20 – một sự kiện đã mãi mãi thay đổi cách nước Mỹ nhìn nhận chính mình và cái nhìn lạc quan về tương lai. Tuy nhiên, toàn bộ câu chuyện về những gì đã xảy ra và lý do tại sao lại chưa bao giờ được kể lại.