Want stories that are quite literally out of this world? Get Spaced Out direct your inbox
The seven-man crew in the world's most notorious space shuttle disaster may not have died instantly when it "exploded" 72 seconds after launch, according to new evidence.
Millions watched in horror as the Space Shuttle Challenger launched at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center on January 28 in 1986.
Friends and family can be heard cheering off the astronauts, but just over a minute after launch, the shuttle burst into flames over the Atlantic Ocean.
The shuttle was recorded to have reached 65,000 feet before it plummeted into the ocean.
Just seconds before Challenger launched, a fire is reported to have broken out onboard following a booster to prevent leaks from a fuel tank failing.
This caused the fuel tank to collapse from hot gas before it was torn apart.
NASA has always insisted that all crew members, including teacher Christa McAuiffe, had died instantly in the horrifying disaster.
However, new evidence has emerged decades later that reveals the crew may have been alive for several seconds after the shuttle began to be torn apart.
Number of black holes in universe found in new study – and final figure is terrifying
Despite the huge fireball, the Challenger is said to have remained intact for several seconds before it was torn apart by atmospheric forces as it plummeted down to Earth.
Every member of the crew aboard the Challenger has its own air pack, which would help them survive for several minutes in an emergency.
According to new evidence, three of the air packs had been manually activated following a search of the Challenger wreckage.
'Problematic' satellites in Earth's orbit could leave humans stranded on planet
The evidence is contained in a report by Dr Joseph. Kerwin, director of Life Sciences at the Johnson Space Center.
Despite the horrifying scenes of the blast broadcast on TV, Dr Kerwin believes that the explosion was not strong enough to kill or seriously injure the crew.
Initially NASA and the media reported the shuttle had exploded but the investigation showed it was actually clouds of smoke coming from the shuttle.
NASA Mars Curiosity rover spots 'unusual carbon' matter in exciting discovery
Dr Kerwin did admit that there could have been a situation where all the crew were unconscious due to a drop in cabin pressure.
However, the Challenger would have had to have seen the mid-deck floor ripped open for such a huge drop, which there was no evidence of.
It is his belief that the pressure did drop but slowly, so all seven crew would have been conscious during the remaining seconds of their lives.
Elon Musk warns of '100% chance of extinction' unless mankind settles on other planets
The full crew onboard the Challenger shuttle were Francis R. Scobee, Michael J. Smith, Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik, Ronald E. McNair, Gregory B. Jarvis, and Christa McAuliffe.
To honour the astronauts lost in the Challenger accident, as well as those lost in other space shuttle tragedies, every year NASA holds a Day of Remembrance at the end of January.
To read more out-of-this-world astronomical and alien news, why not subscribe to the Daily Star's Spaced Out newsletter.
According to the space agency: “The day allows NASA employees to reflect not only on the lives lost but also on the circumstances that led to the accidents and the resulting changes to NASA’s operations and safety culture.
“It is also a time to ensure that everyone does their utmost to prevent future tragedies from happening through a heightened culture of safety and excellence.”
- Nasa
- Spaced Out
- Space
Source: Read Full Article