40 Years After Challenger Disaster, Spaceflight Remains Risky

Experts say lessons from past tragedies help, but space travel still faces ongoing challenges and vulnerabilities.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 11:31pm

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It has been 40 years since the space shuttle Challenger disaster, which killed seven astronauts and left a lasting impact on NASA and the space industry. While progress has been made in learning from past incidents, experts say human spaceflight remains a risky endeavor, with more frequent launches and private companies taking on greater responsibility. The article examines how the space industry continues to grapple with safety concerns, unexpected challenges, and the need to balance innovation with caution.

Why it matters

The Challenger disaster and other space tragedies serve as sobering reminders that spaceflight is an inherently dangerous undertaking, even as the industry has grown more active and diverse. Understanding the ongoing risks and challenges can help inform decision-making, policy, and public perception around the future of human space exploration.

The details

The Challenger explosion on January 28, 1986 was caused by a combination of technical issues and flawed decision-making. The disaster led to the creation of the Rogers Commission, which investigated the accident and found that "the decision to launch the Challenger was flawed." Seventeen years later, the space shuttle Columbia broke apart during reentry, killing another seven astronauts. These incidents, along with others like the Apollo 1 fire, have left a lasting mark on the space industry.

  • The Challenger disaster occurred on January 28, 1986.
  • The Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003.
  • The Artemis 2 mission is currently targeted for launch as soon as February 6, 2026.
  • The Crew-12 mission to the International Space Station is currently targeted for launch on February 15, 2026.

The players

Ron Doel

A professor of history at Florida State University who was at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory the day of the Challenger disaster.

Pauline Barmby

A department chair of physics and astronomy at Canada's Western University, who has served as a volunteer at the Boston Museum of Science and as a team member on one of the instruments for NASA's Spitzer Space Telescope.

Jeff Radigan

NASA's lead flight director for the Artemis 2 mission.

Chris Hadfield

A retired Canadian Space Agency astronaut whose wisdom is referenced by Pauline Barmby.

Butch Wilmore

A NASA astronaut who was part of the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in 2024.

Suni Williams

A NASA astronaut who was part of the first crewed flight of Boeing's Starliner spacecraft in 2024.

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What they’re saying

“The shock was visceral, immediate.”

— Ron Doel, Professor of History

“I recall vividly the person who was to be the presenter just broke down.”

— Pauline Barmby, Department Chair of Physics and Astronomy

“This is not a rush. It's not prudent for us to put both those [missions] up at the same time, but we also have to ensure that both of them are ready to go. We may run into an issue, and the last thing we want to do is make a decision too early and then lose an opportunity.”

— Jeff Radigan, NASA's Lead Flight Director for Artemis 2

“Your first job is to not make things worse. In many of these ... the situation was not, 'We've got to decide in the next 10 minutes.' It's, 'We've got to decide in the next couple of days.' So I think the lesson there is, yes, it's serious, but we don't immediately panic.”

— Chris Hadfield

What’s next

NASA and private space companies will continue to carefully evaluate launch readiness and safety for upcoming crewed missions, including the Artemis 2 and Crew-12 flights, in order to prevent future tragedies.

The takeaway

While the space industry has made progress in learning from past disasters, human spaceflight remains an inherently risky endeavor. Balancing innovation, safety, and public trust will be an ongoing challenge as the frequency of launches increases and private companies take on greater responsibility for crewed missions.