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2026-01-28 16:38:03 UTC

Eric A. Meyer on Nostr: Forty years ago, at exactly 11:38 Eastern Standard Time, the solid rocket boosters ...

Forty years ago, at exactly 11:38 Eastern Standard Time, the solid rocket boosters for the Space Shuttle *Challenger* ignited, propelling it off of launch pad 39B at the Kennedy Space Center. It would fly for 73 seconds.

Aboard were Commander Francis R. “Dick” Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialist 1 Ellison S. Onizuka, Mission Specialist 2 Judith A. Resnick, Mission Specialist 3 Ronald E. McNair, Payload Specialist 1 S. Christa McAuliffe, and Payload Specialist 2 Gregory B. Jarvis.