From the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive, dramatic, minute by minute story of the Challenger disaster, based on fascinating in-depth reporting and new archival research - a riveting history that flows like a thriller.

On January 28, 1986, just 73 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 school teacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in twentieth-century history - one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and the optimistic view of the future. Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told.

Higginbottham 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.

Please know that there are over a hundred pages of footnotes which add to the ‘length’ of this book. Very enjoyable as an audio book, if that is a preference.