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The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986, when the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after launch, killing all seven crew members, including teacher Christa McAuliffe. The tragedy shocked millions, as it was broadcast live on television, with families of the crew watching from the ground. Investigations found the cause to be a failure of an O-ring seal in the right solid rocket booster, which became brittle in unusually cold temperatures.