January 28 1986

The Challenger disaster

"The flight, and the astronauts’ lives, did not end at that point, 73 seconds after launch. After Challenger was torn apart, the pieces continued upward from their own momentum, reaching a peak altitude of 65,000 feet before arching back down into the water. The cabin hit the surface 2 minutes and 45 seconds after breakup, and all investigations indicate the crew was still alive until then.

What's less clear is whether they were conscious. If the cabin depressurized (as seems likely), the crew would have had difficulty breathing. In the words of the final report by fellow astronauts, the crew “possibly but not certainly lost consciousness,” even though a few of the emergency air bottles (designed for escape from a smoking vehicle on the ground) had been activated.

The cabin hit the water at a speed greater than 200 mph, resulting in a force of about 200 G’s — crushing the structure and destroying everything inside. If the crew did lose consciousness (and the cabin may have been sufficiently intact to hold enough air long enough to prevent this), it’s unknown if they would have regained it as the air thickened during the last seconds of the fall. Official NASA commemorations of “Challenger’s 73-second flight” subtly deflect attention from what was happened in the almost three minutes of flight (and life) remaining AFTER the breakup."

Space Shuttle Challenger Final Transcript

"The following transcript begins two seconds after NASA's official version ends, with pilot Michael Smith saying, "Uh-oh!" Times from the moment of takeoff are shown in minutes and seconds and are approximate. The sex of the speaker is indicated by M or F.

T+1:15 (M) What happened? What happened? Oh God, no - no!

T+1:17 (F) Oh dear God.

T+1:18 (M) Turn on your air pack! Turn on your air...

T+1:20 (M) Can't breathe... choking...

T+1:21 (M) Lift up your visor!

T+1:22 (M/F) (Screams.) It's hot. (Sobs.) I can't. Don't tell me...God! Do it...now...

T+1:24 (M) I told them... I told them... Dammit! Resnik don't...

T+1:27 (M) Take it easy! Move (unintelligible)...

T+1:28 (F) Don't let me die like this. Not now. Not here...

T+1:31 (M) Your arm... no... I (extended garble, static)

T+1:36 (F) I'm... passing... out...

T+1:37 (M) We're not dead yet.

T+1:40 (M) If you ever wanted (unintelligible) me a miracle... (unintelligible)... (screams)

T+1:41 (M) She's... she's... (garble) ... damn!

T+1:50 (M) Can't breathe...

T+1:51 (M/F) (screams) Jesus Christ! No!

T+1:54 (M) She's out.

T+1:55 (M) Lucky... (unintelligible).

T+1:56 (M) God. The water... we're dead! (screams)

T+2:00 (F) Goodbye (sobs)... I love you, I love you...

T+2:03 (M) Loosen up... loosen up...

T+2:07 (M) It'll just be like a ditch landing...

T+2:09 (M) That's right, think positive.

T+2:11 (M) Ditch procedure...

T+2:14 (M) No way!

T+2:17 (M) Give me your hand...

T+2:19 (M) You awake in there? I... I...

T+2:29 (M) Our Father... (unintelligible)...

T+2:42 (M) hallowed be Thy name... (unintelligible).

T+2:58 (M) The Lord is my shepherd, I shall...not want. He maketh me to lie down in green pastures... though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil... I will dwell in the house...

T+3:15 to end None. Static, silence.

To date there is no official confirmation as to the accuracy of this transcript."