Challenger

A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

By: Adam Higginbotham

Narrated by: Jacques Roy

Length: 16 hrs and 54 mins

Publisher's summary

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 comes across 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 twentieth-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.

©2024 Adam Higginbotham (P)2024 Simon & Schuster Audio

An excellent book

The author does an admirable job of bringing the characters and events of the Challenger disaster to life. Excellent narration as well.

Adam is at it again!

Incredible like all of his books, a great narrative with plenty of technical details and palace intrigue.

Getting priorities wrong

The book vividly illustrates the ramifications of putting cost and schedule ahead of performance in complex systems with lives in the balance.

Technical information

Loved all the details. Learned so much new information regarding the Challenger disaster. Amazing book to read.

A well told story of tragedy

The author does a great job providing the timeline for the lead up to the event and the leadership mismanagement that led to the devastating end. Our astronauts deserved better and hubris and bureaucracy let them down. It's important to remember that there are still many scenarios out there where people are in leadership positions that determine the fates of many - it should be read by those leaders to help them keep their eyes open for similarities within their own bureaucratic infrastructure.

It also tells the tale of brave whistleblowers that likely saved the lives of many following the event - our modern-day whistle blowers at Boeing, within the government and other organizations continue to serve society as a whole and should be celebrated for putting others ahead of themselves.

Higginbotham humanizes historical catastrophes

Higginbotham is singular, for this moment in time at any rate, at conjuring something that I find is often lost in the review of historical events. Especially those events for which the post script has already been etched into the epitaph of the past. With the utterly masterful performance by Jacques Roy, the combination of the Higginbotham's words coming from Roy's mouth is something special. At my age, this all happened a couple of years before my own birth, so to feel connected to people - most of whom have either passed on or erased themselves from the public eye - who lived and died before me is unique. Higginbotham and Roy had me laughing at times, and moved to tears by the end. A simple statement of fact, like that Sally Ride was on both space shuttle panels, made my chest tighten after the hours I spent coming to 'know' these people.

The editorial condemnation of those responsible for what happened never came, but Higginbotham laid out the pieces and let us decide how to contextualize the decisions of years or even decades that led to the conclusion. Some were heroes, others were cowards. Higginbotham gives all the context you could ask for to decide who is who.

I cannot recommend this work enough, and it's a fitting memorial to the seven who died, as well as a testimonial to the grit of those who explore the ragged edge of science and possibility. As I look to the sky in the future, it will be hard not to occasionally think of them.

Stories Behind the Challenger Disaster

This compelling book delves into the multiple institutional failures that culminated in the Challenger disaster, with a strong focus on the people involved. The author provides in-depth biographies of the seven astronauts, offering insights into their backgrounds, trials, mishaps, political maneuverings, and the sheer luck that placed them aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger on that tragic day.

The book also highlights the critical role of engineers who identified the fatal design defect that led to Challenger's destruction. Despite their persistent efforts to alert their superiors and NASA administrators, their warnings went unheeded, showcasing a stark disconnect within the organization.

Readers will encounter the administrators, corporate executives, and politicians whose compromises, budget cuts, and uninformed decisions resulted in the development of a flawed space vehicle. These decisions not only led to the Challenger disaster but ultimately doomed 14 astronauts over the course of the shuttle program.

With a balanced mix of technical details and storytelling, the book ensures readers understand the complexities without becoming bogged down by jargon. Instead, it emphasizes the culture and environment of the American space industry during that era. This book is a must-read for space enthusiasts, amateur historians, and anyone interested in the intricacies of space exploration history.

Feels like you're right there living it, exceptionally told

An exceedingly well put together narrative, this is a great story to tell, and the lessons learned are still entirely relevant today. Technical details are presented clearly, in an understandable way. Great listen.

Even though I have read a lot of books about this disaster. This has been the most comprehensive and enjoyable.

Even though I have read a lot of books about this disaster. This has been the most comprehensive and enjoyable. I learned a lot about who was a fault in detail, but even more about the courage of those who spoke up and tried to stop the launch of Challenger. It’s just so sad because we were smart enough to prevent it. Columbia is a different story. There really wasn’t a lot that could be done to prevent that tragedy. Both are very sad. It’s further evidence that space travel is a sketchy business. I hope the organizations and preventative measures continue to improve because space is still such an undiscovered country. I HIGHLY recommend this book. It’s fantastic.

Great book.. Tons of interesting information

This book was so detailed and gave great insights and details I hadn’t ever heard.