Historical Figure
Francis R. Scobee
d. 1986
Space Shuttle orbiter (1983–1986)
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Biography
Space Shuttle Challenger (OV-099) was a Space Shuttle orbiter manufactured by Rockwell International and operated by NASA. Named after the commanding ship of a nineteenth-century scientific expedition that traveled the world, Challenger was the second Space Shuttle orbiter to fly into space after Columbia, and launched on its maiden flight in April 1983. It was destroyed in January 1986 soon after launch in a disaster that killed all seven crewmembers aboard.
Timeline
The story of Francis R. Scobee, told in moments.
Earned his wings as an Air Force pilot after enlisting as a mechanic. He got his engineering degree at night school while working on aircraft during the day.
Flew combat missions in Vietnam. Logged over 6,500 hours in 45 types of aircraft over his career.
Piloted STS-41-C, his first shuttle mission. The crew retrieved and repaired the Solar Maximum satellite in orbit. Scobee handled the tricky rendezvous manually.
Killed when Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after launch. He was the commander. All seven crew members died. A faulty O-ring seal in the right booster was the cause.
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