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: 11:28 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.