Forty years ago, the Challenger space shuttle disintegrated just after lift-off. A small team of engineers tried to prevent the tragedy.

The view of shuttle Discovery's payload bay from inside the orbiter, with the iconic American flag at the rear. The huge cargo area is 15 feet (4.6 meters) wide and 60 feet (18 m) long. When Discovery ...

During the Cold War, the Soviet Union secretly built its own space shuttle to rival America’s NASA program. Called Buran, it ...

The space shuttle Challenger explosion was a defining moment of the 1980s. Whether you were watching on TV or in person, chances are, you remember exactly where you were and how you felt.

I watched the Challenger shuttle disaster from inside Mission Control - 40 years ago today ...

The California Science Center unveiled Tuesday the first of many launch vehicles, engines and other artifacts set to be installed in the museum’s 200,000-square-foot expansion coming to Exposition ...

A view from above of Atlantis' 60-foot-long payload bay. Atlantis' aft section as viewed from the side. The reflective insulation would normally be covered by one of the shuttle's two orbital ...

TODAY marks four decades since the Challenger space shuttle exploded just 73 seconds into its flight. Millions watched the disaster unfold live, as the tragedy was broadcast in schools and on TV ...

"On a cold January morning in 1986, NASA launched the Space Shuttle Challenger, despite warnings against doing so by many individuals, including Allan McDonald. The fiery destruction of Challenger on ...

Forbes contributors publish independent expert analyses and insights. Peter Suciu covers trends in the world of aerospace and defense. The Space Shuttle Discovery (OV-103) would need to be cut into ...