January 1986: The Challenger disaster

Click to enlarge

The dramatic failure was later traced back to a faulty O-ring that was not designed for the temperatures of the January launch. Despite knowledge of the O-ring's potential flaws, NASA managers had failed to address them, and reportedly ignored warnings from engineers about the dangers of launching in the cold conditions.

After 24 successful shuttle missions, it was claimed by some - including the resulting Rogers Commission - that a degree of complacency had set in at NASA regarding the inherent dangers of space flight. Just two days after the incident, The Engineer wrote: "The shuttle's perfect safety record lasted until its 25th launch and had gone on so long that the considerable risks of a system with hundreds of tonnes of explosive fuel and millions of critical components had been almost forgotten."

Challenger's failure resulted in a 32-month suspension of the shuttle programme, during which time plans for an escape system were drawn up. However, it was found that such a system was not feasible due to complexity and cost.