Challenger at 40: Lessons from a tragedy

The podcast revisits the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster 40 years later, focusing on the last-minute efforts to halt the launch due to concerns about unusually cold temperatures affecting the booster rocket O-rings. Retired NPR correspondent Howard Berkes, who investigated the launch decision in 1986, provides insights into NASA's pressure to maintain a reliable launch schedule and attract public attention, especially with teacher Christa McAuliffe on board. The discussion reveals how Thiokol engineers, including Bob Ebeling, were overruled by executives facing financial penalties and contract renewal pressures. Berkes recounts his reporting, including interviews with engineers Roger Beaujolais and Ebeling, highlighting the long-term emotional toll on those involved and the lessons learned about heeding dissenting opinions within NASA.