Space Shuttle Challenger launch & explosion filmed from the Shuttle Landing Facility (SLF)

[HeliosPhoenix]

Many of the spectators were confused by what was happening as many had probably never seen a launch before. Not the case here. Being KSC personnel they immediately know something is wrong. The "God No" is just heartbreaking.

[101andrewj]

the end of cowboys and aliens is better then this

[Aumann1]

@101andrewj wow copy paste

[101andrewj]

@Aumann1 no i typed it twice

[Aumann1]

@101andrewj bravo

[101andrewj]

@Aumann1 next time get it right

[nasashuttle]

While analyzing the wreckage, investigators discovered that several electrical system switches on Pilot Mike Smith's right-hand panel had been moved from their usual launch positions. Later tests established that neither force of the explosion nor the impact with the ocean could have moved them, indicating that Smith made the switch changes, presumably in a futile attempt to restore electrical power to the cockpit after the crew cabin detached from the rest of the orbiter.

[hjenkins1975]

\\they actualy live after the explosion,they were all in a cabin witch comes off in space they ran out of air fell asleep,and it fell to the ocean,the impact drowned and crushed them to death,i know this because i was there on the boat and found a piece of the rocket booster and them in the cabin

[jonvoltage1]

Heartbreaking to read from Astronaut Mike Mullane the emotions that went through the shuttle astronaut corps in the seconds, minutes, hours of the disaster. It's truly disgusting the amount of political bungling that went on before and after this happened - everything from technical issues to keeping the pressts (press) out of the hair of the deceased's families. RIP to the crew and condolences to their families and friends.

[XxsmigglyxX]

if u pause at 2:07 it looks like the grim reaper

[skateboy159]

@XxsmigglyxX it sure does

[darthfurious80]

@krakenwave, agreed. Had the windshear NOT happened, Challenger would have likely made it to space. But I'm sure once NASA recovered the SRBs they would have seen the very shocking evidence of thorough burn-through of the SRB and shut the shuttle program down.

[donkopke]

How cruel that fascinating and devastating walks hand in hand. Eternal respect for your sacrifice of your lives lost before I even began my own...

[0172shane]

R.I.P you died for us like heroes.

God knows how painful must be to the family lost one.

We will never forget you guys.

[jazzguitar2010]

The feeling of gloom that much have surrounded those who knew immediately something was wrong must have been so deep. We'll never forget you Challenger & Crew.

[mcsew2k]

Such a final event. Someone please invent a time machine.

[kirox777]

@mcsew2k go talk to ron mallet

[THEGATESPRODUCTIONS]

After the Challenger exploded,you could see something near it!

[julienkip]

@THEGATESPRODUCTIONS Yeah, pieces of the shuttle....

[krakenwave]

This clip really illustrates really well just how strong was the windshear that morning (that ultimately broke the temporary rubber O-ring seal that had formed from by-products of combustion ). The major windshear event happens at around 1.09 here - watch at the bottom of the screen how the trail starts to skew to the right between then and the breakup of the vehicle. And the zig-zag effect afterwards as the wind continues to blow the trail further over.

[krakenwave]

This clip really illustrates just how strong was the windshear that morning (that ultimately broke the temporary o-ring seal that formed from combustion by-products) - see how that vapour trail zig-zags.

[proaudiohd]

Great post. Videos like these (that were never on TV) are what makes youtube great.

[HahA1673]

imagine those little kids watch their teacher blow up.....

[Beatnick79]

@HahA1673 lol

[LaurelVentura]

@Beatnick79 Yeah not really a "lol" though is it?

[ewd76]

@HahA1673

I think somebody actually put a video of that up on youtube. They were in an auditorium or something.

[SuperVideoman12]

1:20

[MrCelicaL]

what was that parachute??

[nasashuttle]

@MrCelicaL The parachutte was from one of the solid rocket boosters. The Range Safety Officer (RSO) at the Cape Canaveral Air Force Station sent radio signals that activated the range safety system's "destruct" packages on board both solid rocket boosters. This was a normal contingency procedure, undertaken because the RSO judged the free-flying SRBs a possible threat to land or sea. There are 3 parachute's in the nose cap of each solid rocket booster.

[Marty933]

@nasashuttle Did the flight controllers know that the night before the launch the Morton Thiokol engineers had tried to stop the launch because of the extremely low temps?

[aimhigh59]

@Marty933 Nasa didnt know until after the accident that Morton Thikol management over ruled their engineer because of lack of evidense of the the o-ring data....

[Zoomer30]

The rather sudden change in course was the wind shear (you can see it's effects on the smoke trail after the explosion) and the effects of the leak plume pushing the stack sideways.

[derekjlight]

1:27 "holy shit!" lol!

[joesmoe71]

"Challenger, go with throttle up", "Roger, go with throttle up..."

Those are words that are always going to sound like an epitaph :(

[maksphoto78]

At 1:10 you can see how it's getting blown off course by the sudden wind. It contributed to the destruction of the vehicle.

[prospectnyc]

<3 rest in peace 

[eddo1983]

nasa was warned about the bad rings befre the launch....they should be charged with murder

[nealtracy]

Incredible post!......Heartbreaking.

[nasashuttle]

@nealtracy Thank you for the comment. Jan. 28, 2011 will be 25 years ago we lost Challenger and crew.

[RoloPrisionero]

fuck, it just dissapeared.... RIP

[MrChameleon2010]

This probably has to be the most well preserved video of 1986 I have ever seen in the past few years. I actually thought this was going to be a CGI when I first saw it because of how new it looks. Was 3/4 video the same as Super VHS?

[ajshea]

@MrChameleon2010 The video tape was/is probably U-matic. The newer U-matic is better than S-VHS, and that's probably what NASA was using. The original U-matic of 1971 is not as good as S-VHS, although the stereo PCM audio of S-VHS is probably significantly better than either U-matic format.

[drrydher]

Too much to say, an American tragedy... Thanks for sharing.

[stampede122]

@drrydher i don't think there could be any word that could describe a disaster accerautely enoungh............

[indyfan22k]

@stampede122

Avoidable.

[stampede122]

@indyfan22k yeah if nasa listened!!!!!!!