Challenger: The Final Flight
GenreDocuseries[1]
Developed by
Directed by
ComposerJeff Beal
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
No. of seasons1
No. of episodes4 (list of episodes)
Production
Executive producers
Producers
  • Maren Domzalski
  • Bridget Topp
  • Steven Leckart
  • Daniel Junge
CinematographyGraham Willoughby
Editors
  • Poppy Das
  • Adrienne Gits
Running time180 minutes[2]
Production companies
  • Bad Robot
  • Zipper Bros Films
  • Sutter Road Picture Company
Original release
NetworkNetflix
ReleaseSeptember 16, 2020 (2020-09-16)

Challenger: The Final Flight is a 2020 American docuseries developed by Glen Zipper and Steven Leckart for Netflix.[3] The limited series revolves around the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle explosion, including events that preceded launch and aftermath of the disaster.

The miniseries includes interviews with key people involved, Christa McAuliffe's preparation for the flight, problems with the solid rocket boosters, a teleconference between NASA and Morton Thiokol the night before launch, accounts from the astronauts' families, and the investigation into the catastrophe. At the same time, archive footage delves into the Space Shuttle program.

The series was released on September 16, 2020, on Netflix.[4]

Synopsis

On January 28, 1986, the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, killing all seven crew members aboard, including school teacher Christa McAuliffe. The tragedy shook the United States and grounded the Space Shuttle program for nearly three years.

Episodes

No.TitleOriginal release date
1"Space for Everyone"September 16, 2020 (2020-09-16)
President Richard Nixon authorises the development of the Space Shuttle, a reusable spacecraft that will transform the space frontier. NASA introduces 35 persons chosen after a positive campaign encouraging women and minorities to become astronauts. Thousands witness Columbia's historic launch in April 1981, the first American spaceflight in six years. Despite the tremendous risks, NASA management conveys the Shuttle is a safe vehicle that flies like a commercial aircraft.
2"HELP!"September 16, 2020 (2020-09-16)
Christa McAuliffe is named the winner of the Teacher in Space Project following a nationwide search conducted by NASA under the direction of President Ronald Reagan. Engineers at Morton Thiokol start seeing erosion inside the solid rocket boosters (SRBs), and part of an O-ring burned off. It is a significant concern, and when the problem persists, the engineers feel it is not being dealt with. But Lawrence Mulloy issues a waiver so they can continue to fly. Under the pressure of a demanding schedule and to preserve its budget, nobody is willing to ground the fleet.
3"A Major Malfunction"September 16, 2020 (2020-09-16)
NASA has a program assessment review with representatives from all subcontractors to discuss what below-freezing temperatures the night before launch will mean. The people most knowledgeable about the O-ring issue make a presentation during a teleconference with NASA, recommending not launching and not doing so below 53 °F. Mulloy is angry at what he considers an "irrational decision", making an intimidating comment which manipulates Thiokol into changing their minds. The cold overnight temperatures, mixed with engineers at Kennedy Space Center turning on the spigots, sees icicles form on the service structure. After a two-hour delay, during which the shuttle stack is inspected, Challenger is finally cleared for launch.
4"Nothing Ends Here"September 16, 2020 (2020-09-16)
In the wake of the Challenger disaster, Reagan speaks to the nation about the tragedy from the Oval Office, before the formation of an investigation board. Nobel Prize-winning theoretical physicist Richard Feynman plays a crucial role in the inquest, demonstrating that O-rings lack resilience at 32 degrees. The Rogers Commission returns its verdict of a "fatally flawed" decision process, stating a faulty rubber seal on an SRB and an attitude of NASA are just as to blame. NASA goes flying again after a 32-month hiatus. America's return to space is confirmed when mission control instructs Discovery's commander to "go at throttle up", and the redesigned SRBs successfully separate from the external tank a few moments later.

Release

The official trailer was released on September 2, 2020.[5]

Reception

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the miniseries holds an approval rating of 84% based on 19 reviews, with an average rating of 8.2/10. The website's critics consensus reads, "Challenger: The Final Flight doesn't uncover any new information, but intimate interviews elevate its well-crafted, heartbreaking retelling of an avoidable national tragedy."[6] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the series a score of 76 out of 100, indicating "generally favourable reviews".[7]

See also

References

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