Some moments in history will always live vividly in peoples minds. One being the Challenger disaster. On January 28, 1986, Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members. It was the first American spacecraft disaster while in flight.
WHAT HAPPENED
The crew of the Challenger was announced in 1985. It was commanded by Dick Scobee. Michael Smith was the pilot, mission specialists were Ellison Onizuka, Judith Resnik, and Ronald McNair. The two payload specialists were Gregory Jarvis, who was assigned to conduct research for the Hughes Aircraft Company, and Christa McAuliffe, who flew as part of the Teacher in Space Project.
73 seconds into flight, off the coast of Cape Caneveral, the Challenger exploded above the Atlantic Ocean.
Prime Video is recreating the events and bringing the Challenger to life in a series. Danny Huston, Sofia Black D’Elia, Paul Sparks, Boris McGiver, and Shea Whigham are joining Kristen Stewart and Will Arnett who had previously been cast.
The series will follow the events of that led up to the disaster and the investigation that followed. It will also cover Sally Ride’s (Kristen Stewart) historic journey as the first American woman in space.
WHO WILL THE PLAY
According to Deadline, “Danny Huston will play William Rogers, who led the investigation into the Challenger explosion; Sofia Black D’Elia as Judy Resnik, the fourth woman to fly in space, who died aboard the Challenger; Paul Sparks as Larry Mulloy, NASA SRB project manager; Boris McGiver as William ‘Bill’ Lucas, NASA official blamed for the Challenger disaster; and Shea Whigham as Roger Boisjoly, a mechanical engineer who strongly opposed the launch of the Challenger.”
We’ll definitely be watching this series, as we’re intrigued. The Challenger Disaster is an important moment in the history of space flight.
Is this a series that you would watch?