The Challenger Launch Context

On January 28, 1986, a chilling cold snap hit central Florida, raising concerns for the upcoming launch of the Space Shuttle Challenger. Engineers and farmers alike were grappling with drastic temperatures, which had previously devastated the citrus crop in the region. One engineer at Morton Thiokol, Roger Beaujolais, was particularly alarmed by how this extreme weather could impact the shuttle launch the next day, as he was aware of the vulnerability of the O-rings used in the shuttle's solid rocket boosters. These O-rings were crucial for maintaining seal integrity, and Beaujolais feared that the cold would render them even more fragile, posing significant risks for the crew aboard Challenger.