On the cold morning of January 28, 1986, onlookers watched as the space shuttle Challenger prepared for lift-off. Commander Francis "Dick" Scobee and his crew kept NASA appraised of all systems as the Challenger ascended skyward in a great charge of power. Suddenly, horrifically, the Challenger burst into a fiery ball, killing all crew members.The Challenger Space Shuttle Explosionnarrates one of the worst disasters in NASA history. Young readers will meet the crew members, including Sharon Christa McAuliffe, the first school teacher chosen for space flight. Kids will learn the history of the space shuttle program, discover what went wrong, and read how NASA has since revised the shuttle program. A "Profiles" section lists people related to this historic tragedy.