Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space
Winner of the National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction • Winner of the Kirkus Nonfiction Prize • Shortlisted for the Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • A New York Times Notable Book
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Stunning…A heart-pounding thriller…Challenger is a remarkable book.” —The Atlantic • “Devastating…A universal story that transcends time.” —The New York Times • “Dramatic…a moving narrative.” —The Wall Street Journal
From the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive, “compelling, and exhaustively researched” (The Washington Post) minute-by-minute account of the Challenger disaster, based on fascinating and new archival research—a riveting history that reads like a thriller.
On January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-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, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the investigation afterward. It’s a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; of hubris and heroism; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light. Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and later hidden from the public.
Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and 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 and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history—and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Stunning…A heart-pounding thriller…Challenger is a remarkable book.” —The Atlantic • “Devastating…A universal story that transcends time.” —The New York Times • “Dramatic…a moving narrative.” —The Wall Street Journal
From the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive, “compelling, and exhaustively researched” (The Washington Post) minute-by-minute account of the Challenger disaster, based on fascinating and new archival research—a riveting history that reads like a thriller.
On January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-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, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the investigation afterward. It’s a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; of hubris and heroism; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light. Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and later hidden from the public.
Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and 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 and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history—and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.
BUY THE BOOK
These clubs recently read this book...
Community Reviews
If you lived through the 80s, there were many moments that left an indelible mark on you. Especially for those of us as children who watched a crew of brave heroes ascend to the sky but never to return again. The Challenger explosion has been etched in me as the ultimate cost of scientific progress and what it means to be brave. When I heard about Adam Higginbotham’s “Challenger” and its recounting of that harrowing day, it became an instant must-read.
Higginbotham demystifies the blame for the collection of failures in the shuttle program. Make no mistake, the Reagan-era politics that wanted to gut the program for their own agenda rooted in war sits squarely in the middle. It is nearly impossible to finish this book and not know that you can never trust conservatives with anything again. I unequivocally hope that those who made the decision to launch that day, despite all the signs saying no, will never know a night of good sleep again.
This is not an indictment that is naive in its understanding of the risks of space flight. Higginbotham goes to painstaking detail to track the history of the US Space program and all its ups and downs leading up to that disastrous day and subsequently the Columbia disaster as well. Even knowing the eventual fate of these crews, the topic has to be discussed. Even if it won’t save you from feeling broken and distraught at the staggering loss. Man’s future cannot be confined to this blue rock; otherwise, their deaths would have been in vain.
I’ve never been particularly interested in the space program (as an adult, at least). I do remember the Challenger explosion, but it hasn’t been a moment I’ve thought about a great deal. That said, I found this book gripping. Higginbotham does a remarkable job walking you through the history of the program, particularly the many forewarnings, oversights, and acts of sheer hubris that preceded the disaster. His pacing is about perfect. He develops his characters well. He clarifies the technical aspects of the story without oversimplifying them (so far as I can tell). It’s just a well written history of a monumental tragedy.
See why thousands of readers are using Bookclubs to stay connected.