1 00:00:06,474 --> 00:00:10,743 Narrator: Conceived half a century ago, the space shuttles are a giant leap in man's quest 2 00:00:10,778 --> 00:00:12,845 To conquer space. 3 00:00:12,880 --> 00:00:15,514 Wayne: It absolutely was revolutionary. 4 00:00:15,549 --> 00:00:17,783 Joan: It looked like something out of star wars. 5 00:00:17,818 --> 00:00:23,756 Narrator: The world's first reusable space craft, they ushr in a new era in space travel. 6 00:00:23,791 --> 00:00:27,760 Bob: Going 17,500 miles an hour and there's not another ride like it. 7 00:00:27,795 --> 00:00:32,031 Narrator: But pushing technoloy to the limit comes at a price. 8 00:00:32,066 --> 00:00:36,402 Dick: And I looked over and saw the fire ball. 9 00:00:36,437 --> 00:00:40,873 Narrator: Yet the shuttle program will continue and leave a lasting legacy. 10 00:00:40,908 --> 00:00:44,443 Michael: We would never have the international space station without the space shuttle. 11 00:00:44,478 --> 00:00:49,448 Narrator: But there is also a secret side to the shuttle program. 12 00:00:49,483 --> 00:00:52,851 Jeff: We had quite a few military missions with the shuttle and I can't tell you 13 00:00:52,887 --> 00:00:54,787 What we did with it. 14 00:00:54,822 --> 00:00:58,857 Narrator: It will give the united states an edge over their soviet rivals. 15 00:00:58,893 --> 00:01:01,160 Rowland: The shuttle threatened to dramatically change 16 00:01:01,195 --> 00:01:03,595 The balance of power during the cold war. 17 00:01:03,631 --> 00:01:06,899 Narrator: Almost four decades since they first took flight, 18 00:01:06,934 --> 00:01:11,703 The shuttles remain the most iconic space ships ever built. 19 00:01:11,739 --> 00:01:14,907 Milt: We can dip into space and come back and land like an aeroplane, 20 00:01:14,942 --> 00:01:17,876 That's a heck of an accomplishment. 21 00:01:24,218 --> 00:01:31,123 (music) 22 00:01:31,158 --> 00:01:36,962 Narrator: Entering service in 1981, nasa's fleet of five space shuttles fly into orbit 23 00:01:36,997 --> 00:01:41,834 And come back to earth again more than 130 times. 24 00:01:42,703 --> 00:01:47,005 Wayne: It was uh, the first winged vehicle to fly back from space hypersonically. 25 00:01:47,041 --> 00:01:50,642 It carried more people than any other space vehicle. 26 00:01:50,644 --> 00:01:53,745 It was revolutionary in so many ways. 27 00:01:53,781 --> 00:01:59,985 Narrator: Clocking over 537 million miles in space, for three decades the shuttles 28 00:02:00,020 --> 00:02:03,255 Are the workhorses of the american space program. 29 00:02:04,625 --> 00:02:08,827 Michael: The shuttle is so capable of what it's designed to do. 30 00:02:08,863 --> 00:02:12,197 It really is, it's a fantastic achievement. 31 00:02:14,135 --> 00:02:19,204 Narrator: The technology behind the shuttle's return trips to space is still one of man's 32 00:02:19,273 --> 00:02:21,473 Greatest feats of engineering. 33 00:02:24,478 --> 00:02:26,945 Male: T minus and one minute and counting. 34 00:02:28,382 --> 00:02:33,552 Narrator: Bolted to a huge orange fuel tank and two of the largest solid rocket boosters 35 00:02:33,587 --> 00:02:38,557 Ever built, the shuttle goes through its final checks before launch. 36 00:02:39,827 --> 00:02:42,761 Male: Liquid hydrogen tank is at flight pressure. 37 00:02:42,796 --> 00:02:50,035 Narrator: The only people within a three mile radius of the shuttle are the astronauts inside. 38 00:02:50,070 --> 00:02:53,972 Jeff: There's a lot of things that can go wrong during a launch. 39 00:02:54,008 --> 00:03:00,279 If sitting on top of a few million pounds of high explosives is gonna cause you 40 00:03:00,314 --> 00:03:03,248 Emotional stress, you're in the wrong profession. 41 00:03:08,656 --> 00:03:15,060 Narrator: 85 percent of the shuttle's 4.5 million pounds at takeoff, is fuel. 42 00:03:15,095 --> 00:03:20,499 And it will use the explosive power of all of it to get into space. 43 00:03:20,534 --> 00:03:23,502 Dick: Rocketry is controlled explosions in a hope 44 00:03:23,537 --> 00:03:26,705 That it keeps you going in the right direction. 45 00:03:26,740 --> 00:03:29,575 Male: T minus 20 seconds and counting. 46 00:03:29,610 --> 00:03:32,578 Main engines prepare for ignition. 47 00:03:33,614 --> 00:03:36,181 T minus 10, 9, 48 00:03:36,217 --> 00:03:40,919 Michael: We don't hear a countdown like you public do, but we can see on our computer 49 00:03:40,955 --> 00:03:43,589 Monitor, that little clock going tick, tick, tick. 50 00:03:43,624 --> 00:03:45,657 Male: 8, 7, 51 00:03:45,693 --> 00:03:53,165 Robert: 6.6 seconds before liftoff, we get ready to ignite the main engines. 52 00:03:53,200 --> 00:03:54,866 Male: We've gone for main engines start. 53 00:03:58,706 --> 00:04:03,575 Ken: Out the window you see this bright yellow glow. 54 00:04:03,611 --> 00:04:07,512 Male: 3, 2, 1. 55 00:04:07,548 --> 00:04:09,881 Ken: And you go "oh here we go." 56 00:04:14,021 --> 00:04:18,657 Male: Lift off of america's space shuttle. 57 00:04:18,692 --> 00:04:24,229 Michael: All that explosive power shoves us in the back and it's a very violent shove. 58 00:04:24,265 --> 00:04:26,598 (music) 59 00:04:26,634 --> 00:04:31,036 Joan: It feels like someone has kinda taken their foot and kicked you in the hind quarters. 60 00:04:32,306 --> 00:04:43,081 Narrator: With all its engines blazing, the shuttle produces about 37 million horsepower! 61 00:04:43,117 --> 00:04:46,184 Dick: It's a very visceral experience. 62 00:04:47,254 --> 00:04:53,225 You know you are going somewhere very, very fast and you have very little control over it. 63 00:04:54,495 --> 00:05:00,732 Narrator: Two minutes in, 28 miles high, the shuttle hits 3,000 miles per hour 64 00:05:00,768 --> 00:05:03,535 And its reusable boosters are jettisoned. 65 00:05:04,672 --> 00:05:09,374 Michael: At the moment we're going about mach 4, that's 4 times the speed of sound. 66 00:05:09,410 --> 00:05:15,047 Rhea: And the, the sky goes from the clouds and blue sky to black sky. 67 00:05:15,082 --> 00:05:17,316 (music) 68 00:05:17,351 --> 00:05:20,218 Narrator: The shuttles main engines push it even faster 69 00:05:20,254 --> 00:05:22,688 Through the upper reaches of the atmosphere. 70 00:05:24,591 --> 00:05:30,896 Michael: We're gonna use up all the fuel to get up to mach 25, 25 times the speed of sound. 71 00:05:30,931 --> 00:05:35,667 And that's the speed we need to keep going around the earth and never actually come back to it. 72 00:05:38,572 --> 00:05:47,746 Narrator: Once the shuttle reaches 17,500 miles per hour, 73 00:05:47,781 --> 00:05:55,320 Explosive bolts detonate and release the empty fuel tank. 74 00:05:55,356 --> 00:05:58,423 Michael: Pf, that's it, we're weightless. 75 00:05:58,459 --> 00:06:05,263 Rhea: Your pen floats, dust particles float, you're sort of looking around thinking, 76 00:06:05,299 --> 00:06:07,599 Are we there yet? (laughs) 77 00:06:07,634 --> 00:06:12,604 Narrator: It takes just 8 and a half minutes to get the shuttle into space. 78 00:06:12,639 --> 00:06:15,774 Ken: There's usually a cheer from the crew about that point. 79 00:06:15,809 --> 00:06:21,813 Because the, the most stressed part of the, the mission, the, the ascent, is over. 80 00:06:24,485 --> 00:06:28,453 Narrator: In orbit, the versatility of the shuttle will allow it to do more 81 00:06:28,489 --> 00:06:32,391 Than any other space ship before or since. 82 00:06:32,426 --> 00:06:37,396 Robert: We could fit one and a half greyhound buses inside the cargo bay, 83 00:06:37,431 --> 00:06:41,299 That's how big that vehicle is. 84 00:06:41,335 --> 00:06:46,938 It was capable of carrying huge satellites up into orbit, constructing the international 85 00:06:46,974 --> 00:06:53,111 Space station and that's what made it such a productive program. 86 00:06:53,147 --> 00:06:58,016 Narrator: With room for eight astronauts, the shuttles can take more people into space 87 00:06:58,051 --> 00:06:59,818 Than ever before. 88 00:07:00,854 --> 00:07:10,295 Jeff: The shuttle has opened up space flight to a much wider variety of people, scientists, 89 00:07:10,330 --> 00:07:13,031 Engineers, medical doctors. 90 00:07:13,066 --> 00:07:17,402 We really learned a lot about uh, how to do science in space. 91 00:07:18,739 --> 00:07:25,677 Narrator: But what makes the shuttles truly groundbreaking, is that they come back to eart. 92 00:07:25,712 --> 00:07:30,315 Male: You are go for de-orbit burn. 93 00:07:30,350 --> 00:07:35,854 Narrator: Travelling ten times faster than a bullet, the shuttle hits earth's atmospher. 94 00:07:36,857 --> 00:07:44,296 Robert: We create a shock wave that has a temperature of 9,000 degrees and so it makes the air 95 00:07:44,331 --> 00:07:46,231 Look like it's on fire. 96 00:07:47,134 --> 00:07:49,701 You're flying into a blow torch. 97 00:07:49,736 --> 00:07:55,841 Narrator: Friction from the air generates so much heat, the shuttle starts to glow. 98 00:07:55,876 --> 00:08:02,781 Ken: You look outside and it's red, it just a, a terribly hot surface. 99 00:08:02,816 --> 00:08:08,553 Narrator: The temperature of te shuttle's heat proof skin reaches 3000 degrees fahrenhei, 100 00:08:08,589 --> 00:08:12,824 Almost four times the melting point of its metal air frame. 101 00:08:12,860 --> 00:08:17,429 Ken: You see drips going along the, the, the windows and it looks like rain, 102 00:08:17,464 --> 00:08:20,398 It looks like water, but it's something melting. 103 00:08:20,434 --> 00:08:25,837 Narrator: Relying only on air friction to slow it down, it takes the shuttle 30 minutes 104 00:08:25,873 --> 00:08:29,541 Flying time to reach its landing site. 105 00:08:29,576 --> 00:08:32,811 Male: Columbia you're going subsonic now, looking good. 106 00:08:32,846 --> 00:08:38,116 Narrator: Having used all its fuel in space, pilots depend on the shuttle's wings 107 00:08:38,151 --> 00:08:40,151 To glide it home. 108 00:08:40,220 --> 00:08:47,092 Robert: It was a great big 115 ton brick that doesn't have any engines. 109 00:08:47,127 --> 00:08:51,463 And so, you get exactly one chance to land it. 110 00:08:51,498 --> 00:08:58,703 Male: 5, 4,3,2,1, touchdown. 111 00:08:58,739 --> 00:09:05,310 Narrator: Hitting the runway at 226 miles per hour, much faster than any plane, 112 00:09:05,345 --> 00:09:09,948 The shuttle's parachutes are deployed to bring it to a halt. 113 00:09:09,983 --> 00:09:12,117 Milt: I thought oh holy cow! We built this thing, 114 00:09:12,152 --> 00:09:15,854 We find a way to get this into space and come back and land like 115 00:09:15,889 --> 00:09:20,225 An aeroplane wheels on a runway, that's a heck of an accomplishment. 116 00:09:21,261 --> 00:09:24,429 Narrator: But this accomplishment comes at a pric. 117 00:09:24,464 --> 00:09:31,336 Over their three decades in service, the shuttles cost taxpayers $209 billion. 118 00:09:31,371 --> 00:09:36,775 Yet when they are first proposd in the late 1960's, the space shuttles are meant to be 119 00:09:36,810 --> 00:09:42,747 A cost effective successor to the most expensive space program in history. 120 00:09:55,329 --> 00:09:59,731 Computers and rockets for an audacious mission. 121 00:09:59,766 --> 00:10:04,069 President kennedy: We choose to go to the moon in this decade and do the other things, 122 00:10:04,104 --> 00:10:08,239 Not because they are easy, but because they are hard. 123 00:10:08,275 --> 00:10:13,111 Narrator: With the cold war raging, president kennedy has another motive for sending men 124 00:10:13,146 --> 00:10:15,313 To the moon. 125 00:10:15,349 --> 00:10:19,351 Wayne: Kennedy was not particularly interested in space or going to the moon, 126 00:10:19,386 --> 00:10:22,253 He was interested in beating the russians at something. 127 00:10:27,494 --> 00:10:33,431 Milt: We pretty much had a blank cheque, you just said this is what I need to get this job done 128 00:10:33,467 --> 00:10:36,434 And, and you got it. 129 00:10:36,470 --> 00:10:42,273 Narrator: On the July 20th 1969, the us wins the race to the moon. 130 00:10:43,777 --> 00:10:49,547 Neil armstrong: That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind. 131 00:10:51,451 --> 00:10:54,753 Narrator: But getting men to the moon has a huge cost. 132 00:10:54,788 --> 00:11:00,892 The final bill is more than $25 billion dollars. 133 00:11:00,927 --> 00:11:05,263 Wayne: If you turn that into today's dollars, you're probably talking half a trillion. 134 00:11:05,298 --> 00:11:10,268 That was an extremely expensive programme because we threw away the rocket every time we used it. 135 00:11:10,303 --> 00:11:15,173 The only thing that you got back was this little capsule on the very top. 136 00:11:15,175 --> 00:11:16,875 Even that was not reusable. 137 00:11:18,745 --> 00:11:24,015 Narrator: Nasa is told it has to find a more cost effective way of getting into orbit. 138 00:11:24,051 --> 00:11:29,087 They decide a revolutionary reusable space craft is the answer. 139 00:11:32,993 --> 00:11:34,926 Tv announcer: Shuttle born pay load will be put in orbit 140 00:11:34,961 --> 00:11:38,096 For a tenth of what it cost in the 60's. 141 00:11:38,131 --> 00:11:42,167 Wayne: The space shuttle was conceived as a vehicle, like an airliner, 142 00:11:42,202 --> 00:11:49,074 You would build it once, fly it many times, and therefore reduce the cost of getting into space. 143 00:11:49,710 --> 00:11:54,179 Narrator: Nasa gets the go ahead, but there is a hidden dimension to the shuttles 144 00:11:54,214 --> 00:11:56,247 Overall mission. 145 00:11:56,283 --> 00:11:58,950 Jeff: We had quite a few military missions with the shuttle 146 00:11:58,985 --> 00:12:01,286 And I can't tell you what we did with it. 147 00:12:02,389 --> 00:12:04,222 Narrator: From the shuttle's inception, 148 00:12:04,291 --> 00:12:08,760 The pentagon determines they'll be a cold war asset. 149 00:12:08,795 --> 00:12:11,896 Jeff: The final size and shape of the shuttle was determined pretty much 150 00:12:11,932 --> 00:12:15,400 By the military requirements. 151 00:12:15,435 --> 00:12:19,270 Narrator: The shuttle's distinctive wide body is designed to deploy 152 00:12:19,306 --> 00:12:22,307 The biggest military spy satellites. 153 00:12:22,342 --> 00:12:25,143 Jeff: And they had satellites which were 60 feet long and so that, 154 00:12:25,178 --> 00:12:30,582 That cargo bay had to be much bigger than nasa originally was planning. 155 00:12:30,617 --> 00:12:38,556 (music) 156 00:12:38,592 --> 00:12:42,227 Narrator: And they are given the wings of a jet fighter. 157 00:12:42,262 --> 00:12:46,397 Jeff: Instead of having little stubby wings like nasa had originally planned, 158 00:12:46,433 --> 00:12:48,199 That led to the big delta wings. 159 00:12:51,638 --> 00:12:57,108 Narrator: But travelling 13 times faster than the concorde means the shuttle can't be flon 160 00:12:57,144 --> 00:12:59,043 Like a normal airplane. 161 00:12:59,079 --> 00:13:03,348 Jeff: You hit the atmosphere at, at 25 times the speed of sound, 162 00:13:03,383 --> 00:13:06,718 There's no way that a human being can keep up. 163 00:13:15,996 --> 00:13:20,999 Narrator: So to help pilots fly them, nasa invents a revolutionary new computer 164 00:13:21,034 --> 00:13:25,670 System, surprisingly basic compared to today's standards. 165 00:13:25,705 --> 00:13:29,741 Joan: The general purpose computers had 257 k memory. 166 00:13:29,776 --> 00:13:34,946 Your phone has like a gazillion times more memory than the shuttle computer. 167 00:13:34,981 --> 00:13:41,019 Narrator: Next, nasa needs to see if their new computers wor. 168 00:13:41,054 --> 00:13:47,792 In 1976, a prototype shuttle is rolled out for testing and the american public gets to see 169 00:13:47,828 --> 00:13:52,063 One of their new space craft for the first time. 170 00:13:52,098 --> 00:13:54,566 Jeff: It grabbed the attention of the american public 171 00:13:54,601 --> 00:13:58,069 And it didn't look like any other rocket. 172 00:13:58,104 --> 00:14:00,772 It was the future. 173 00:14:00,807 --> 00:14:05,510 Rowland: This is the world's first real space ship it was like um, star trek made real. 174 00:14:05,545 --> 00:14:08,379 Narrator: Nasa even names it enterprise. 175 00:14:08,415 --> 00:14:12,016 But this shuttle won't be boldly going into space. 176 00:14:12,052 --> 00:14:15,887 To find out if their flight control computers are up to the job, 177 00:14:15,922 --> 00:14:20,959 Nasa plans to launch enterprise from the back of a 747. 178 00:14:20,994 --> 00:14:25,263 Milt: When I first heard about it, I said, "you got to be kidding me." (laughs) 179 00:14:25,298 --> 00:14:31,469 No way! What a wonderful concept. Genius! 180 00:14:31,504 --> 00:14:34,973 Male: Just by the touch in the physical area. 181 00:14:35,008 --> 00:14:41,946 Narrator: Charles justiz is one of the nasa pilots who flew the specially adapted boeing 747. 182 00:14:41,982 --> 00:14:44,215 Charles: As a, a research pilot that scared me to death. 183 00:14:44,251 --> 00:14:48,019 It's like, somebody I hope did their math. 184 00:14:48,054 --> 00:14:54,792 Narrator: Even with a 68 ton spaceship on top, the 747 can still take to the air. 185 00:14:59,299 --> 00:15:00,698 Charles: It was a challenge. 186 00:15:00,734 --> 00:15:04,602 When you're flying, the whole time, it's shaky. 187 00:15:06,406 --> 00:15:10,808 Narrator: At 24,000 feet, the shuttle is released. 188 00:15:10,844 --> 00:15:12,410 Male: Ok good job. 189 00:15:12,445 --> 00:15:17,115 We're up and confirm computer light, it's number 2. 190 00:15:17,150 --> 00:15:21,419 Narrator: Using the new computer system, the pilots are able to fly... 191 00:15:21,454 --> 00:15:23,388 And land the shuttle. 192 00:15:26,893 --> 00:15:30,695 Male: Ok the gear is coming down at 270. 193 00:15:30,730 --> 00:15:34,899 185, roger that. 194 00:15:37,971 --> 00:15:40,805 Ok that was too good a glider. 195 00:15:40,840 --> 00:15:43,741 Charles: It was just amazing. The fact that it worked as well as it did, 196 00:15:43,777 --> 00:15:46,377 To me is still one of the great successes of nasa. 197 00:15:54,154 --> 00:15:58,356 Ngines 198 00:15:58,391 --> 00:16:02,961 That can take the shuttle into orbit over and over. 199 00:16:02,996 --> 00:16:06,331 Rowland: Nasa never had to reuse rocket engines before. 200 00:16:06,366 --> 00:16:08,633 They'd always been thrown away. 201 00:16:08,668 --> 00:16:12,870 It was like trying to build a formula one car that was gonna last as long as a ford cortina. 202 00:16:16,109 --> 00:16:23,381 Narrator: The shuttles main engines need to produce the sae power as 200,000 family cars. 203 00:16:23,416 --> 00:16:29,754 But making them reliable isn't easy. 204 00:16:29,789 --> 00:16:35,159 Jeff: We saw some explosions on the test stands because you get so much power, 205 00:16:35,195 --> 00:16:40,031 You're pushing these systems to the limit. 206 00:16:40,066 --> 00:16:46,671 Narrator: It takes nasa nearly 10 years to perfect the shuttles engines. 207 00:16:46,706 --> 00:16:51,109 But the biggest challenge by far is making sure the shuttles 208 00:16:51,144 --> 00:16:54,545 Don't melt when they return to earth. 209 00:16:55,181 --> 00:16:59,817 Tom: The friction is generated between that space craft and the earth's atmosphere 210 00:16:59,853 --> 00:17:03,621 Creates a very high temperature, somewhere around 3,000 degrees. 211 00:17:03,656 --> 00:17:07,825 Narrator: Previously, nasa protected it's astronauts by putting them inside 212 00:17:07,861 --> 00:17:12,430 Small capsules with thick heat shields designed to burn away. 213 00:17:12,465 --> 00:17:17,402 Jeff: It gradually melts and that carries away a lot of the heat. 214 00:17:17,437 --> 00:17:20,538 Sort of like when you perspire and that works just fine. 215 00:17:20,573 --> 00:17:22,874 But it's a one-shot deal. 216 00:17:22,909 --> 00:17:26,444 Narrator: But the shuttle has totally different requirements. 217 00:17:26,479 --> 00:17:29,614 Wayne: The shuttle needed something that was light and reusable 218 00:17:29,649 --> 00:17:32,950 Which those previous heat shields weren't. 219 00:17:32,986 --> 00:17:38,356 Narrator: So nasa decides to ue a revolutionary new material. 220 00:17:38,391 --> 00:17:42,726 Tom: This is a silica tile and let me make it really simple. 221 00:17:42,729 --> 00:17:46,798 Silica is nothing but pure sand. That's all it is. 222 00:17:46,833 --> 00:17:48,666 It's mostly air. 223 00:17:48,701 --> 00:17:52,070 Narrator: The tiles are extremely good at dissipating heat, 224 00:17:52,105 --> 00:17:58,376 Even when baked at 1300 degree, they can be picked up with bare hands just seconds later. 225 00:17:58,411 --> 00:18:02,547 But there's one problem with them, they are incredibly fragile. 226 00:18:02,582 --> 00:18:08,619 Tom: And I could take my finger right now and poke a hole in it, that's how fragile it is. 227 00:18:08,655 --> 00:18:14,358 Narrator: At first, nasa can't get the delicate tiles to stick to the shuttle's metal skin. 228 00:18:14,394 --> 00:18:19,197 Wayne: We went through a process of nearly two years of trying to confirm that, 229 00:18:19,232 --> 00:18:23,367 That we had properly bonded those tiles to the surface. 230 00:18:23,403 --> 00:18:29,006 Narrator: In the end, they find the best way to glue the tiles is with bathroom sealant. 231 00:18:29,042 --> 00:18:33,644 Tom: We went to the hardware store and we bought bath tub caulk. 232 00:18:33,680 --> 00:18:36,747 So that's what we chose uh, and it worked. 233 00:18:36,783 --> 00:18:40,818 (music) 234 00:18:40,854 --> 00:18:46,390 Narrator: Countless tubes of bathroom caulk later, the first of the shuttle fleet is ready. 235 00:18:47,827 --> 00:18:54,398 In early April 1981, shuttle columbia is rolled out to the launch pad to be prepped 236 00:18:54,434 --> 00:18:57,135 For its maiden flight. 237 00:18:57,170 --> 00:19:03,074 Commanding the mission is john young, he is one of nasa's most experienced astronauts 238 00:19:03,109 --> 00:19:05,843 Who has walked on the moon. Accompanying him, 239 00:19:05,879 --> 00:19:12,049 Is someone who has never even been into space, former navy test pilot, bob crippen. 240 00:19:13,253 --> 00:19:17,155 Bob: I was 40 when uh, I was asked if I wanted to fly 241 00:19:17,190 --> 00:19:20,725 And to finally know that I might have a chance to do it, was uh, uh, 242 00:19:20,760 --> 00:19:24,195 Sort of the pinnacle of my life. It blew my mind. 243 00:19:24,230 --> 00:19:27,999 I was ready to turn handsprings. 244 00:19:28,034 --> 00:19:32,503 Narrator: The two astronauts have waited a long time for this moment. 245 00:19:32,539 --> 00:19:36,340 Bob: We thought we'd be flying in about a year, but our main engines kept blowing up 246 00:19:36,376 --> 00:19:40,344 On the test stand and um, the thermal protection system, uh, kept falling off. 247 00:19:43,483 --> 00:19:49,153 Narrator: Now with the problems seemingly fixed, on April 12th 1981, 248 00:19:49,189 --> 00:19:52,924 Shuttle columbia is ready for launch. 249 00:19:52,959 --> 00:19:55,560 Thousands show up to watch the event. 250 00:19:55,595 --> 00:19:58,196 But nasa is taking a big gambl. 251 00:19:58,231 --> 00:20:04,602 No one has ever test flown a brand new space craft with astronauts on board before. 252 00:20:04,637 --> 00:20:06,571 Rowland: It was the boldest test flight in history. 253 00:20:06,606 --> 00:20:09,640 Everything was staked on the success of that mission. 254 00:20:09,676 --> 00:20:13,878 If something went wrong, that was the end of the program. 255 00:20:13,913 --> 00:20:20,318 Narrator: Tv cameras are broadcasting the event live to millions around the world. 256 00:20:20,353 --> 00:20:24,522 Bob: There's always gonna be people taking your picture uh, it um, 257 00:20:24,557 --> 00:20:29,694 It was a little bit surreal, but you don't really pay attention to all the cameras. 258 00:20:29,729 --> 00:20:34,131 And my biggest thought was, don't screw up. 259 00:20:34,167 --> 00:20:38,202 Narrator: In mission control, the tension is high. 260 00:20:38,238 --> 00:20:42,640 Milt: Everybody was anxious, the flight control team were thinking we better be ready 261 00:20:42,675 --> 00:20:45,610 Because we're gonna have some problems. 262 00:20:45,645 --> 00:20:49,046 Narrator: Even though the shuttle was fitted with ejection seats, 263 00:20:49,082 --> 00:20:54,385 If there is a serious problem, there is little chance of survival. 264 00:20:54,420 --> 00:20:57,121 Bob: To me they were more of a placebo than anything else. 265 00:20:57,156 --> 00:21:00,224 If you've ever seen that tail flame coming out of the solid rockets, 266 00:21:00,260 --> 00:21:03,594 If you ejected out of that uh, you'd be very crispy when you hit the ground. 267 00:21:06,065 --> 00:21:08,399 Male: T minus one minute. 268 00:21:08,434 --> 00:21:10,101 10 seconds. And counting. 269 00:21:11,104 --> 00:21:14,839 Bob: We got inside one minute and I turned to john and I said, "I think we might do it." 270 00:21:14,874 --> 00:21:17,775 That's when my heart rate went up to about 130. 271 00:21:17,810 --> 00:21:21,912 John's only was about 90, he says he was too old to go any faster but (laughs) 272 00:21:23,750 --> 00:21:26,150 It was an exciting moment. 273 00:21:26,185 --> 00:21:31,088 Male: 3, 2, 1 lift off of the first space shuttle. 274 00:21:32,825 --> 00:21:37,561 Rhea: It was really awesome to see the shuttle rising above the trees. 275 00:21:37,597 --> 00:21:40,531 The beauty of it as it climbed higher and higher. 276 00:21:40,566 --> 00:21:48,505 (music) 277 00:21:48,508 --> 00:21:53,811 Narrator: In mission control, more than 200 people are monitoring every aspect 278 00:21:53,846 --> 00:21:55,913 Of the shuttles performance. 279 00:21:55,948 --> 00:21:57,848 Male: Columbia, houston, you're go at throttle up. 280 00:21:57,884 --> 00:22:00,318 Pilot: Roger, go at throttle up. 281 00:22:00,353 --> 00:22:04,322 Milt: A lot can go wrong, early on. 282 00:22:04,357 --> 00:22:09,560 Once the solid rocket boosters separate and the, in about four minutes and you're just 283 00:22:09,595 --> 00:22:12,963 On the main engines, there's certain amount of relief there. 284 00:22:13,032 --> 00:22:16,067 Male: Standing by for solid rocket booster sep. 285 00:22:16,102 --> 00:22:18,602 Pilot: Roger on the sep. 286 00:22:18,638 --> 00:22:21,672 Whoever said that space was black wasn't kidding. 287 00:22:21,708 --> 00:22:25,609 Bob: It goes from being very loud and noisy to very quiet. 288 00:22:25,645 --> 00:22:29,447 Pilot: Velocity now 16,400 feet per second. 289 00:22:29,482 --> 00:22:33,017 Standing by now for main engine cut off. 290 00:22:33,052 --> 00:22:36,721 Columbia now maneuvering to its orbit 291 00:22:36,756 --> 00:22:45,396 Milt: It is a total uh, big sigh of relief once the main engines shut down and you're in orbit. 292 00:22:45,431 --> 00:22:49,500 I don't know how else to say it, it's just a big sigh of relief. 293 00:22:49,535 --> 00:22:52,937 Bob: 8 and a half minutes the vehicle was behaving beautifully. 294 00:22:52,972 --> 00:22:59,110 We knew we were successful going at 17,500 miles an hour and there's not another ride like it. 295 00:23:09,756 --> 00:23:13,157 The vice president calls in on live tv. 296 00:23:13,192 --> 00:23:14,692 Pilot: Hello mr. Vice president. 297 00:23:14,727 --> 00:23:16,761 Vice president: Hey who's that? John? John: Yes sir. 298 00:23:16,796 --> 00:23:19,196 Vice president: How's it going up there? Everything rocking along alright? 299 00:23:19,232 --> 00:23:21,499 Pilot: (inaudible) it's just on and beautiful. 300 00:23:21,534 --> 00:23:23,534 Vice president: Listen I'm glad to talk to both of you. 301 00:23:23,569 --> 00:23:26,704 And crip, how's he behaving? 302 00:23:26,739 --> 00:23:32,243 Narrator: Everything is going according to plan, but when the cargo bay doors are opened, 303 00:23:32,278 --> 00:23:37,181 The on-board cameras reveal an alarming sight. 304 00:23:37,216 --> 00:23:41,752 Pilot: We do have an uh, a few tiles missing off of the starboard part. 305 00:23:43,990 --> 00:23:47,825 Bob: It was very obvious to me that we were missing some of our uh, tiles, 306 00:23:47,860 --> 00:23:51,695 Our thermal protection system on the rear end of the space craft. 307 00:23:51,731 --> 00:23:57,668 If those are missing, maybe some were missing off the bottom and that would have been disastrous. 308 00:23:57,703 --> 00:24:01,472 Narrator: The underside of the shuttle is subjected to the highest temperatures 309 00:24:01,507 --> 00:24:03,774 During re-entry. 310 00:24:03,810 --> 00:24:09,547 If a tile is missing, the shuttle will disintegrate befoe it even makes it back to earth. 311 00:24:09,582 --> 00:24:13,117 Tom: The concern was we could lose the entire vehicle. 312 00:24:13,152 --> 00:24:16,153 Male: Columbia, go for de-orbit burn. 313 00:24:16,189 --> 00:24:20,891 Narrator: Hitting earth's atmosphere at hypersonic speed, the shuttle is immediately 314 00:24:20,893 --> 00:24:24,395 Engulfed in a layer of super-heated plasma. 315 00:24:24,430 --> 00:24:29,300 Mission control temporarily loses all communication with the crew. 316 00:24:29,335 --> 00:24:34,104 Wayne: We had loss of signal for about 30 minutes until they were to appear uh, 317 00:24:34,140 --> 00:24:36,440 Over the californian coast. 318 00:24:36,476 --> 00:24:40,110 (music) 319 00:24:40,146 --> 00:24:43,180 It was very tense and very quiet. 320 00:24:43,216 --> 00:24:48,285 Narrator: There is no way for mission control to know if the heat shield is holding up. 321 00:24:48,321 --> 00:24:50,387 Tom: That extremely anxious. 322 00:24:50,423 --> 00:24:53,023 There wasn't anything that we could do. 323 00:24:53,059 --> 00:24:56,794 Male: Columbia this is houston through yargitty, we're standing by. 324 00:25:08,608 --> 00:25:11,041 Pilot: Hello houston, columbia is here. 325 00:25:11,077 --> 00:25:13,777 Male: Hello columbia houston is here. How do you read? 326 00:25:13,813 --> 00:25:17,715 Bob: And then we came in contact with the ground and told them we were coming in. 327 00:25:17,750 --> 00:25:23,420 Pilot: Columbia and we're doing uh, mach 10.3 and 180 as. 328 00:25:23,456 --> 00:25:27,024 Milt: To hear the voice of the crew was such a good feeling. 329 00:25:27,059 --> 00:25:30,694 Narrator: Columbia's fragile heat shield works. 330 00:25:30,730 --> 00:25:34,765 Tom: The real highlight was when I knew it and all those tiles did their job. 331 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:39,937 That was a bigger highlight in my career than apollo was, tell you the truth. 332 00:25:41,274 --> 00:25:44,275 Narrator: The last job for the crew is to fly columbia 333 00:25:44,310 --> 00:25:50,381 To its landing strip in the mohave desert. 334 00:25:50,416 --> 00:25:52,716 Pilot: Gear down. 335 00:25:52,752 --> 00:25:57,855 Bob: And there were thousands, thousands of people I think uh, half the population 336 00:25:57,890 --> 00:26:01,091 Of los angeles had bailed out to come see us land. And um, 337 00:26:01,127 --> 00:26:03,427 All I said to john was "look at all those people out there, 338 00:26:03,462 --> 00:26:05,629 Hope they don't get on the runway." (laughs) 339 00:26:05,665 --> 00:26:07,565 (music) 340 00:26:07,600 --> 00:26:13,938 Narrator: After one million miles in space, columbia touches down. 341 00:26:13,973 --> 00:26:18,442 Bob: I have never seen john that excited before. 342 00:26:18,477 --> 00:26:21,579 And was still excited when he got outside the space craft. 343 00:26:21,614 --> 00:26:23,714 I felt that way too. 344 00:26:23,749 --> 00:26:27,418 The fact that it had worked as well as it did, was uh, 345 00:26:27,453 --> 00:26:29,653 Something we were both extremely proud of. 346 00:26:29,689 --> 00:26:34,658 (applause). 347 00:26:34,694 --> 00:26:38,829 Narrator: With the inaugural mission a success, the shuttle program gets the green light 348 00:26:38,864 --> 00:26:40,965 From the president. 349 00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,934 President raegan: This versatility of the columbia and her sister ships will serve 350 00:26:43,970 --> 00:26:50,007 The american people well, by establishing a more permanent presence in space. 351 00:26:50,042 --> 00:26:54,745 Challenger you are free to take off now. 352 00:26:54,780 --> 00:26:59,249 Narrator: The shuttle fleet goes to work promising to take everything and anything 353 00:26:59,285 --> 00:27:04,488 The us wants into space, and at a much lower price. 354 00:27:04,523 --> 00:27:11,328 Jeff: The promise of the shuttle in the early days was that the shuttle would be able to replace 355 00:27:11,364 --> 00:27:17,267 All expendable launches at a fraction of the cost that people had been paying previously. 356 00:27:17,303 --> 00:27:19,436 What a deal. 357 00:27:19,472 --> 00:27:22,873 Wayne: It was supposed to replace all other american rockets and launch all american 358 00:27:22,908 --> 00:27:27,011 Satellites into orbit for whatever reason. 359 00:27:27,046 --> 00:27:31,515 Narrator: Nasa is determined te shuttles will grab the lion's share of the growing 360 00:27:31,550 --> 00:27:34,084 Commercial satellite market to. 361 00:27:34,120 --> 00:27:37,721 Rowland: But it was in satellite navigation and mobile phones uh, 362 00:27:37,757 --> 00:27:43,193 And satellite television, the seeds of that were sewn by the constellation of satellites 363 00:27:43,229 --> 00:27:44,695 That the shuttle helped put up. 364 00:27:44,730 --> 00:27:50,768 (music) 365 00:27:50,803 --> 00:27:52,936 Controller: (bleep) ok stand by. (bleep). 366 00:27:52,972 --> 00:27:56,440 Narrator: Determined the shuttle program should reflect modern america, 367 00:27:56,475 --> 00:27:59,677 Nasa opens its doors to more women. 368 00:27:59,712 --> 00:28:03,313 Rhea seddon is one of the first to make the grade. 369 00:28:03,349 --> 00:28:06,250 Rhea: I was the littlest astronaut that they had ever selected. 370 00:28:06,285 --> 00:28:10,120 I think they just felt like, well all of the equipment will fit them. 371 00:28:10,156 --> 00:28:11,755 Well it didn't. 372 00:28:11,791 --> 00:28:15,125 Narrator: Nasa not only has to order smaller space suits, 373 00:28:15,161 --> 00:28:18,796 They have to find a way to make them practical for women. 374 00:28:18,831 --> 00:28:20,998 Rhea: How do you pee? 375 00:28:21,033 --> 00:28:24,468 Uh, the men wore condoms that were attached to a bag that wasn't gonna work on women, 376 00:28:24,503 --> 00:28:27,337 So they eventually designed some diapers for us. 377 00:28:27,373 --> 00:28:29,573 Which worked just great. 378 00:28:29,608 --> 00:28:34,445 Narrator: The sight of women in space, quickly captures the public's imagination. 379 00:28:34,480 --> 00:28:36,246 Robert: It was just revolutionary. 380 00:28:36,282 --> 00:28:38,549 The women astronauts were heroes. 381 00:28:38,584 --> 00:28:44,188 They were much sought after by the press, much sought after for interviews. 382 00:28:44,223 --> 00:28:50,728 Rhea: I think we felt very much in the spotlight and I was just completely taken aback but 383 00:28:50,763 --> 00:28:52,763 We wanted to really, really do a good job. 384 00:29:02,208 --> 00:29:05,175 The shuttle astronauts are leading double lives. 385 00:29:05,211 --> 00:29:08,746 Secretly working for the us military. 386 00:29:08,781 --> 00:29:15,119 Robert: The space shuttle had a huge capability to do classified missions that would let us 387 00:29:15,154 --> 00:29:18,422 Eavesdrop on the russians. 388 00:29:18,457 --> 00:29:22,159 And I was an active participant in all this. 389 00:29:22,194 --> 00:29:27,531 Narrator: Then in 1983, president reagan announces his plans to use the shuttles 390 00:29:27,566 --> 00:29:31,735 To do a lot more than just spy on the russians. 391 00:29:31,771 --> 00:29:33,871 President raegan: The soviets have built up a massive arsenal 392 00:29:33,906 --> 00:29:36,340 Of new strategic nuclear weapons. 393 00:29:36,375 --> 00:29:40,477 Weapons that can strike directly at the united states. 394 00:29:40,513 --> 00:29:43,747 I call upon the scientific community to give us the means 395 00:29:43,783 --> 00:29:48,452 Of rendering these nuclear weapons impotent and obsolete. 396 00:29:48,487 --> 00:29:54,358 Narrator: Immediately dubbed star wars by the press, reagans goal is to deploy nasa 397 00:29:54,393 --> 00:29:58,495 To build a missile defense shield in space. 398 00:29:58,531 --> 00:30:05,369 Tv announcer: Chemical lasers fire beams that burn through the shell of the onrushing missile. 399 00:30:05,404 --> 00:30:08,605 Rowland: The star wars initiative threatened to dramatically change the balance 400 00:30:08,641 --> 00:30:10,741 Of power during the cold war. 401 00:30:10,776 --> 00:30:15,746 If america repel uh, a soviet nuclear attack, it can mean the cold war was over, 402 00:30:15,781 --> 00:30:18,215 It meant america had won. 403 00:30:18,250 --> 00:30:22,586 Narrator: But with so many military civilian and scientific missions, 404 00:30:22,621 --> 00:30:25,989 The shuttle fleet is struggling to keep up with demand. 405 00:30:26,025 --> 00:30:28,158 Robert: This thing is really complex. 406 00:30:28,194 --> 00:30:35,265 The refurbishment between missions was far greater than what we had ever envisioned. 407 00:30:35,301 --> 00:30:41,872 Narrator: After every flight, 740 critical components have to be replaced. 408 00:30:41,907 --> 00:30:48,512 Jeff: It was reusable, but it was such a complex vehicle uh, that they needed thousands 409 00:30:48,547 --> 00:30:51,515 Of people to turn it around. 410 00:30:51,550 --> 00:30:57,120 Narrator: Costing up to $1.5 billion a launch, the shuttles are a lot more expensive 411 00:30:57,156 --> 00:30:59,089 Than nasa anticipated. 412 00:31:00,025 --> 00:31:04,862 To be cost effective, they need to fly a shuttle every two weeks, 413 00:31:04,897 --> 00:31:07,764 But they are only launching 9 times a year. 414 00:31:07,800 --> 00:31:12,536 Wayne: There were huge questions on nasa to deliver 24 flights a year and it wasn't just 415 00:31:12,571 --> 00:31:18,709 The politicians, the media kept hammering on nasa to, to achieve this. 416 00:31:18,744 --> 00:31:24,348 Narrator: Worse still for nasa, the public is getting bored with the shuttle program. 417 00:31:24,383 --> 00:31:29,486 Robert: A lot of people had grown kind of uninterested in watching the space shuttle. 418 00:31:29,521 --> 00:31:31,989 It had become kind ho hum. 419 00:31:32,024 --> 00:31:35,592 Wayne: If you put against the lunar landings where you know, you're going to a new world 420 00:31:35,628 --> 00:31:40,097 And planting the flag, what we're doing in orbit was not terribly exciting. 421 00:31:40,132 --> 00:31:45,269 Narrator: Nasa knows they have to win back public support to keep the cash flowing 422 00:31:45,304 --> 00:31:47,237 From congress. 423 00:31:48,607 --> 00:31:54,811 So they come up with a bold plan, send a teacher into space to give a lesson 424 00:31:54,847 --> 00:31:58,982 That will be beamed live into classrooms across america. 425 00:31:59,018 --> 00:32:03,120 Rhea: Nasa wanted the other people of the world 426 00:32:03,155 --> 00:32:05,088 To understand that space was for everyone. 427 00:32:05,124 --> 00:32:09,893 Narrator: 11,000 teachers apply, 10 are short listed. 428 00:32:09,929 --> 00:32:14,564 New hampshire teacher christa mcauliffe is the one picked to go into space. 429 00:32:14,600 --> 00:32:20,370 Krista: When that shuttle goes, there might be one body mm. 430 00:32:20,406 --> 00:32:23,540 But there's gonna be 10 souls that I'm taking with me. 431 00:32:24,343 --> 00:32:27,377 Narrator: Runner up barbara morgan is her back up. 432 00:32:27,413 --> 00:32:33,917 The american public instantly falls in love with down to earth mother of two, krista. 433 00:32:33,953 --> 00:32:38,288 Barbara: Krista was really sweet, really kind, fun. 434 00:32:38,324 --> 00:32:41,558 She was uh, the girl next door. 435 00:32:43,128 --> 00:32:47,764 Narrator: Krista and barbara undergo four months of astronaut training. 436 00:32:47,800 --> 00:32:52,502 Krista: It was wonderful, broke the sound barrier and he let me fly for a while. 437 00:32:52,538 --> 00:32:54,071 It was great. 438 00:32:54,106 --> 00:32:56,540 Barbara: Every minute was a learning experience for us. 439 00:32:56,575 --> 00:32:58,942 It was just absolutely tremendous. 440 00:32:58,978 --> 00:33:03,580 Narrator: One of the highlights is zero gravity training inside nasa's specially adapted 441 00:33:03,615 --> 00:33:06,416 Airliner, dubbed, the vomit comet. 442 00:33:06,452 --> 00:33:09,086 Barbara: Experiencing weightlessness is very surreal. 443 00:33:09,121 --> 00:33:12,622 We had a lot of fun playing leap frog. 444 00:33:12,658 --> 00:33:17,294 And the two of us, I don't think we stopped laughing the entire flight. 445 00:33:17,329 --> 00:33:22,299 Narrator: But the real focus for krista is perfecting her lesson from space. 446 00:33:22,334 --> 00:33:24,801 Barbara: Krista was so excited. 447 00:33:24,837 --> 00:33:30,374 She was going to do a tour of the shuttle, do a tour of her crew mates. 448 00:33:30,442 --> 00:33:33,844 Krista: This is christa mcauliffe, I'm gonna start out introducing you to 449 00:33:33,879 --> 00:33:36,480 Two very important members of the crew. 450 00:33:36,515 --> 00:33:40,384 Barbara: I'll always remember krista with her really cute little smile saying 451 00:33:40,419 --> 00:33:46,990 "I have never prepared so well for one single lesson as I have here at nasa." 452 00:33:47,026 --> 00:33:49,693 Krista: Woops! Oh. 453 00:33:49,728 --> 00:33:55,332 Narrator: On January 28th 1986, krista is ready for her flight. 454 00:33:55,367 --> 00:33:59,603 Krista: I am so excited and I just hope everybody tunes in to watch the teacher, 455 00:33:59,638 --> 00:34:01,271 Teaching from space. 456 00:34:01,306 --> 00:34:04,074 Narrator: The next morning, challenger will blast off. 457 00:34:13,352 --> 00:34:17,254 Narrator: Overnight, the temperature drops to the low 20's. 458 00:34:17,289 --> 00:34:20,223 Ice has formed on the launch tower. 459 00:34:20,259 --> 00:34:22,559 Jeff: I took look a those icicles and thought to myself, 460 00:34:22,594 --> 00:34:25,595 Well they're not launching today that's for sure. 461 00:34:25,631 --> 00:34:31,334 Narrator: The big concern is the ice might damage the shuttle's fragile heat shield. 462 00:34:31,370 --> 00:34:36,807 Chief engineer tom and his team are called in to assess the risk to the shuttle's 463 00:34:36,842 --> 00:34:39,042 Thermal protection system. 464 00:34:39,078 --> 00:34:43,780 Tom: We did a quick analysis and we determined that based on where the ice was, 465 00:34:43,816 --> 00:34:45,782 We were safe to fly. 466 00:34:45,818 --> 00:34:49,352 Narrator: But the shuttle's fragile heat shield isn't the only worry. 467 00:34:49,388 --> 00:34:55,225 Robert: There were engineers for the booster rockets that were very concerned 468 00:34:55,260 --> 00:34:58,095 With launching at those temperatures. 469 00:34:58,130 --> 00:35:02,532 Narrator: The worry is that the cold could cause the shuttle's solid rocket boosters 470 00:35:02,568 --> 00:35:06,670 To leak highly explosive fuel during take-off. 471 00:35:06,705 --> 00:35:10,874 If that happens, the shuttle could blow up like a bomb. 472 00:35:12,511 --> 00:35:15,579 Nasa makes the decision to launch. 473 00:35:15,614 --> 00:35:17,647 Wayne: We never got together for a flight readiness review 474 00:35:17,683 --> 00:35:20,417 Where people said well we don't have anything to talk about 475 00:35:20,452 --> 00:35:22,986 Because everything worked perfectly, that never happened. 476 00:35:33,632 --> 00:35:39,102 Narrator: 11.30 am, the world tunes in to watch christa mcauliffe 477 00:35:39,138 --> 00:35:43,673 Become the first ordinary citizen to go into space. 478 00:35:43,709 --> 00:35:47,077 Barbara: We were really, really excited about the launch, so excited I wanted to be 479 00:35:47,112 --> 00:35:50,514 With the crew and I was really happy for them. 480 00:35:50,549 --> 00:35:54,518 Narrator: Krista's family are n florida to see the big event. 481 00:35:54,553 --> 00:36:00,690 And in her home town, her students are watching live. 482 00:36:00,726 --> 00:36:06,129 Dick covey is the man charged with talking krista and the crew through launch. 483 00:36:06,165 --> 00:36:11,635 Dick: I say if anybody sitting on a rocket and isn't a little bit concerned or frightened, 484 00:36:11,670 --> 00:36:14,704 Then they don't understand what's going on. 485 00:36:16,041 --> 00:36:23,246 Male: 10, 9,8,7,6, we have main engine start. 486 00:36:23,282 --> 00:36:28,652 4,3,2,1 and lift off. 487 00:36:28,687 --> 00:36:33,623 Lift off of the 25th space shuttle mission and it has cleared the tower. 488 00:36:33,659 --> 00:36:36,893 Barbara: I had this huge smile on my face and I remember thinking that 489 00:36:36,929 --> 00:36:38,929 I wanted to be there. (laughs) 490 00:36:43,068 --> 00:36:46,036 Pilot: Houston challenger roll program. 491 00:36:46,071 --> 00:36:52,676 Dick: I was sitting watching my data on my screen uh, because that was my job. 492 00:36:52,711 --> 00:36:55,312 Male: Roger roll challenger. 493 00:36:55,347 --> 00:36:58,014 Pilot: Good roll flight. Male: Rog, good roll. 494 00:36:58,050 --> 00:37:01,585 Narrator: The shuttle positions itself to pick up speed. 495 00:37:01,620 --> 00:37:04,721 Dick: Everything is looking like it should when we launch the space shuttle. 496 00:37:04,756 --> 00:37:10,427 (music) 497 00:37:10,462 --> 00:37:15,232 Narrator: 30 seconds in, challenger is 2 miles above florida. 498 00:37:15,267 --> 00:37:20,370 Dick: The engines throttle back as they were supposed to as challenger is just going through 499 00:37:20,405 --> 00:37:23,006 The uh, thickest part of the atmosphere. 500 00:37:23,041 --> 00:37:26,009 Pilot: Engines throttling up, three engines now at 104 percent. 501 00:37:26,044 --> 00:37:30,213 Narrator: The shuttle goes at maximum power to reach orbit. 502 00:37:30,249 --> 00:37:33,683 Pilot: Three engines are running normally. Three good fuel cells. 503 00:37:33,719 --> 00:37:37,354 Dick: The guys on the ground monitor the engines, look at them and say, 504 00:37:37,389 --> 00:37:39,289 They're in good shape. 505 00:37:39,324 --> 00:37:41,758 And I made a call. 506 00:37:41,793 --> 00:37:44,327 Male: Challenger go with throttle up. 507 00:37:44,363 --> 00:37:46,129 Pilot: Roger go throttle up. 508 00:37:46,164 --> 00:37:53,937 (dramatic music) 509 00:37:57,609 --> 00:38:00,343 Dick: There was some noise like static 510 00:38:05,350 --> 00:38:11,855 And I looked over and saw the video of a fireball. 511 00:38:11,890 --> 00:38:15,225 I had no idea what I was looking at. 512 00:38:15,260 --> 00:38:18,828 It didn't make any sense to me at all. 513 00:38:33,311 --> 00:38:38,214 Milt: What I saw were the solid rocket boosters still continuing to fly. 514 00:38:38,250 --> 00:38:43,920 I mistakenly, I was hoping I was seeing the orbiter still flying. 515 00:38:43,955 --> 00:38:47,157 Barbara: When things are flying everywhere, when you see the contrails it don't look 516 00:38:47,192 --> 00:38:49,426 Like a normal, normal launch. 517 00:38:49,461 --> 00:38:51,461 You, you know something, something is going on. 518 00:38:53,899 --> 00:38:56,299 Male: Roger you getting any inputs? 519 00:38:56,335 --> 00:38:57,834 Standby. 520 00:39:05,577 --> 00:39:09,612 Narrator: The shuttles data disappears from everyone's screens. 521 00:39:11,683 --> 00:39:13,616 Male: Flight fido. 522 00:39:13,652 --> 00:39:15,051 Go ahead. 523 00:39:15,087 --> 00:39:19,055 Rso reports vehicle exploded. 524 00:39:19,091 --> 00:39:22,625 Dick: We quickly understood that we had had an explosion. 525 00:39:22,661 --> 00:39:29,265 Challenger was not flying and it was then that we realized, 526 00:39:29,301 --> 00:39:32,235 I think individually that we had lost the crew. 527 00:39:38,276 --> 00:39:42,412 Narrator: The disaster unfolds in front of krista's parents... 528 00:39:42,447 --> 00:39:45,982 And millions around the world watching on tv... 529 00:39:46,017 --> 00:39:48,485 Including krista's students. 530 00:39:48,520 --> 00:39:52,389 Male: We're now looking at the checking with the recovery forces to see uh, 531 00:39:52,424 --> 00:39:57,160 What we can do at this point. 532 00:39:57,195 --> 00:40:01,498 Jeff: I, I, think, I, I knew pretty much right away that, that this was a, 533 00:40:01,533 --> 00:40:04,401 A major catastrophe. 534 00:40:04,436 --> 00:40:07,670 Yeah these were my friends and, and they're dead. 535 00:40:08,774 --> 00:40:10,974 Barbara: And we lost seven dear people. 536 00:40:11,009 --> 00:40:14,978 That, that was horrible and, and it will always be horrible. 537 00:40:15,013 --> 00:40:16,646 It's a terrible, terrible tragedy. 538 00:40:16,681 --> 00:40:19,282 Milt: I hugged more than one person. 539 00:40:19,317 --> 00:40:24,888 Uh, I, I wiped tears off more than one person. 540 00:40:33,098 --> 00:40:36,933 Narrator: The challenger disaster shakes the entire nation. 541 00:40:36,968 --> 00:40:42,405 All shuttle flights are groundd and a presidential inquiry is launched to figure out why 542 00:40:42,441 --> 00:40:47,143 Six astronauts and a teacher lost their lives. 543 00:40:47,179 --> 00:40:49,479 The results are damning. 544 00:40:49,514 --> 00:40:55,885 Just as engineers had warned, the extreme cold caused the solid rocket boosters to fail 545 00:40:55,921 --> 00:41:00,756 And nasa management at the marshall space flight center should have listened. 546 00:41:00,759 --> 00:41:05,128 For the astronauts, grief quickly turned to anger. 547 00:41:05,163 --> 00:41:13,436 Jeff: If it failed, in a way that people had been aware of and had anticipated, 548 00:41:13,472 --> 00:41:22,278 And yet we went ahead, it was almost in a way like a betrayal. 549 00:41:22,314 --> 00:41:27,116 Robert: It was a huge mistake, it was a huge error. 550 00:41:27,152 --> 00:41:30,086 We paid very dearly for it. 551 00:41:30,121 --> 00:41:33,156 Our seven crew members paid everything for it. 552 00:41:33,191 --> 00:41:38,361 Dick: It's certainly disappointing that it occurred the way it did. 553 00:41:38,396 --> 00:41:41,931 It, it's hard. 554 00:41:41,967 --> 00:41:46,269 Narrator: The future of the shuttle program is in doubt. 555 00:41:46,304 --> 00:41:53,042 Rhea: And we realized that it had become a national tragedy and um, we began to, 556 00:41:53,078 --> 00:41:55,645 To wonder whether the shuttle would ever fly again. 557 00:41:59,050 --> 00:42:03,319 Narrator: But the challenger disaster won't be the end for the shuttles. 558 00:42:03,355 --> 00:42:08,758 Soon the us is shocked to discover that the russians have one of their own. 559 00:42:08,793 --> 00:42:10,960 Tom: When I saw it I said, "they copied it." 560 00:42:10,996 --> 00:42:13,796 Narrator: And nasa's shuttles will be needed to defeat them. 561 00:42:13,832 --> 00:42:17,333 Robert: Hey, I'm the person who ended the cold war. 562 00:42:17,369 --> 00:42:19,102 Narrator: But for all the triumphs 563 00:42:19,137 --> 00:42:22,005 Mission control: There are smiles galore down here. 564 00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,674 Narrator: Tragedy is never far away. 565 00:42:24,709 --> 00:42:26,376 Milt: I said john "what's happened?" 566 00:42:26,411 --> 00:42:29,012 And I'll never forget this, he said, "we lost them." 567 00:42:30,048 --> 00:42:33,449 Captioned by subtitlepro llc