Challenger: a true story of heroism and disaster on the edge of space

Prologue --

Part one: The last man on the Moon. Fire on Pad 34 --

Whitey on the Moon --

The spaceplane --

The most complicated machine in history --

The future black spaceman --

The FNGs --

Never a straight answer --

The great tile caper --

Part two: The high frontier. When thoughts turn inward --

The first American woman in space --

The squeeze --

The black cat --

The human satellite --

Acceptable risk --

The teachernauts --

Abort to orbit --

The mystery of Hanger AF --

The back gate --

The ultimate field trip --

Part three: The face of God. Friday, January 10, 1986: 7:00 a.m. --

Monday, January 27, 1986: 8:00 a.m. --

Monday, January 27, 1986: 7:55 p.m. --

Tuesday, January 28, 1986: 2:00 a.m. --

Tuesday, January 28, 1986: 11:38 a.m. --

The commission --

The truth --

Apocalypse --

The long fall --

Epilogue.

Cast of characters

Prologue

Part one: The last man on the moon. Fire on Pad 34 ; Whitey on the moon ; The spaceplane ; The most complicated machine in history ; The future black spaceman ; The FNGs ; Never a straight answer ; The great tile caper

Part two: The high frontier. When thoughts turn inward ; The first American woman in space ; The squeeze ; The black cat ; The human satellite ; Acceptable risk ; The teachernauts ; Abort to orbit ; The mystery of Hanger AF ; The back gate ; The ultimate field trip

Part three: The face of God. Friday, January 10, 1986: 7:00 a.m. ; Monday, January 27, 1986: 8:00 a.m. ; Monday, January 27, 1986: 7:55 p.m. ; Tuesday, January 28, 1986: 2:00 a.m. ; Tuesday, January 28, 1986: 11:28 a.m. ; The commission ; The truth ; Apocalypse ; The long fall

Epilogue

Acknowledgements

Notes on sources

Notes

Selected bibliography.