From the New York Times-bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive
dramatic minute-by-minute story of the Challenger space shuttle disaster based on fascinating
in-depth reporting and new archival research - this is riveting history that reads like a
thriller ** THE NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER ** 'Gripping' ED CAESAR ¿ 'Masterly' GEOFF DYER ¿
'Incredible' TIM HARFORD ¿ 'A universal story that transcends time' NEW YORK TIMES ¿ 'Superb .
. . has the ripping compulsion of the best reporting' DAILY TELEGRAPH On the morning of 28
January 1986 just seventy-three seconds into flight the space shuttle Challenger broke apart
over the Atlantic Ocean killing all seven people on board. Millions around the world witnessed
the tragic deaths of the crew which included schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the
assassination of JFK the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in twentieth 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 a detailed
account of the tragedy itself and into the investigation that followed. It's a compelling tale
of optimism and ingenuity shattered by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of
burnishing national prestige of hubristic 'go fever' and of an investigation driven by heroic
leakers and whistle-blowers determined to bring the truth to light. With astonishing clarity
and narrative verve Adam 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. A
masterful blend of riveting human drama fascinating science and shocking political infighting
Challenger brings to life a turning point in our history. The result is an even more complex
and extraordinary story than any of us remembered - or thought possible.
