Did they recover bodies from Challenger?
In March 1986, the remains of the astronauts were found in the debris of the crew cabin. Though all of the important pieces of the shuttle were retrieved by the time NASA closed its Challenger investigation in 1986, most of the spacecraft remained in the Atlantic Ocean.
Did the Challenger crew survive the explosion?
The crew compartment and many other fragments from the shuttle were recovered from the ocean floor after a three-month search-and-recovery operation. The exact timing of the deaths of the crew is unknown; several crew members are thought to have survived the initial breakup of the spacecraft.
What remains of the Challenger crew were found?
Navy divers have located wreckage of the crew compartment of the space shuttle Challenger lying on the ocean bottom in 100 feet of water and confirmed that it contains remains of the astronauts killed nearly six weeks ago, NASA said today.
What happened to the bodies of the Columbia astronauts?
Seven astronauts slipped into unconsciousness within seconds and their bodies were whipped around in seats whose restraints failed as the space shuttle Columbia spun out of control and disintegrated in 2003, according to a new report from NASA.
Did the families of the Challenger crew sue NASA?
The wife of Challenger pilot Michael Smith sued NASA in 1987. But a federal judge in Orlando threw out the case, ruling that Smith, a Navy officer, died in the line of duty. She later settled directly with Morton Thiokol, as did the other families.
What happened to Larry Mulloy after Challenger?
Mulloy, the rocket manager named in a $15.1-million negligence claim by the widow of one of the space shuttle Challenger’s crew members, has decided to take early retirement, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration announced Wednesday.
Did Columbia astronauts suffer?
The design of Columbia’s seats, too, decreased the crew’s chances of survival as their restraints did not lock in place, subjecting the astronauts to extreme trauma from rotational forces. Their helmets were not head-conforming, resulting in injuries and lethal trauma, the report states.
Could the Columbia crew have been saved?
The answer, according to a detailed NASA analysis obtained by CBS News, is that Columbia was doomed from the moment the wing was damaged, most likely during ascent, and that nothing could have been done to reduce the stress of re-entry enough to save the ship and its seven astronauts.