Wednesday marks 40 years since the Space Shuttle Challenger disaster. On Jan. 28, 1986, the Challenger took off from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. But just 73 seconds after lift-off, it exploded.

On Jan. 28, 1986, NASA’s 25th space shuttle mission, Challenger, left the launchpad in Cape Canaveral, Florida. Seventy-three seconds into flight, Challenger exploded over the Atlantic Ocean as millions of people watched.

NASA's space shuttle Challenger completed 10 missions before it broke apart during a launch in 1986, killing seven astronauts.

Seven American spacefarers were killed in a tragic event 40 years ago today that has become widely known as the Challenger disaster.

Steve Hawley, who flew five Space Shuttle missions, and Krista Schaffer, a first-grade teacher at Christa McAuliffe Elementary in Lenexa reflect on the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster.

Wednesday marked 40 years since the space shuttle Challenger accident that killed seven crew members. The mission was not just to launch satellites but to launch the first teacher in space.

The 40th anniversary of the Challenger explosion stirs the memories of Long Island educators who watched the disaster on classroom TVs.

The Space Shuttle Challenger was destroyed just 73 seconds into its flight 40 years ago today, killing all seven crew on board