The definitive, dramatic, minute-by-minute story of the Challenger space shuttle disaster based on fascinating in-depth reporting and new archival research – this is riveting history that reads like a thriller. On the freezing-cold morning of 28 January 1986, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions around the world witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe.

Yet the full story of what happened that day – and the ominous warning signs recognized but then ignored in the years before – has never been told. Following a handful of central protagonists – from the astronauts and their families to the rocket engineers who tried to stop the fateful launch – Challenger is a gripping tale of human over-reach; of cynicism and cost-cutting; of hubristic ‘go fever’; and of an investigation driven by heroic leakers and whistle-blowers determined to bring the truth to light. Blending human drama with fascinating science and political infighting, Challenger is a masterpiece of non-fiction storytelling.

The result is a story even more extraordinary and terrifying than any of us remembered – or thought possible.