On the morning of 28 January 1986, just 73 seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all 7 people on board. Yet the full story of what happened – and why – has never been told. Based on extensive archival research and meticulous, original reporting, this follows a handful of central protagonists – including each of the 7 members of the doomed crew – through the years leading up to the accident, a detailed account of the tragedy itself, and into the investigation that followed. It’s a compelling tale of optimism and ingenuity shattered by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; of hubristic ‘go fever’; and of an investigation driven by heroic leakers and whistle-blowers determined to bring the truth to light.