Challenger

A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

By: Adam Higginbotham

Narrated by: Jacques Roy

Winner of the 2024 National Book Critics Circle Award in Nonfiction • Winner of the 2024 Kirkus Nonfiction Prize • Shortlisted for the 2025 Andrew Carnegie Medal for Excellence in Nonfiction • A New York Times Notable Book of 2024

NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “Stunning…A heart-pounding thriller…Challenger is a remarkable book.” —The Atlantic • “Devastating…A universal story that transcends time.” —The New York Times • “Dramatic…a moving narrative.” —The Wall Street Journal

From the New York Times bestselling author of Midnight in Chernobyl comes the definitive, “compelling, and exhaustively researched” (The Washington Post) minute-by-minute account of the Challenger disaster, based on fascinating and new archival research—a riveting history that reads like a thriller.

On January 28, 1986, just seventy-three seconds into flight, the space shuttle Challenger broke apart over the Atlantic Ocean, killing all seven people on board. Millions of Americans witnessed the tragic deaths of the crew, which included New Hampshire schoolteacher Christa McAuliffe. Like the assassination of JFK, the Challenger disaster is a defining moment in 20th-century history—one that forever changed the way America thought of itself and its optimistic view of the future. Yet the full story of what happened, and why, has never been told.

Based on extensive archival research and metic­ulous, original reporting, Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space follows a handful of central protagonists—including each of the seven members of the doomed crew—through the years leading up to the accident, and offers a detailed account of the tragedy itself and the inves­tigation afterward. It’s a compelling tale of ambition and ingenuity undermined by political cynicism and cost-cutting in the interests of burnishing national prestige; of hubris and heroism; and of an investigation driven by leakers and whistleblowers determined to bring the truth to light. Throughout, there are the ominous warning signs of a tragedy to come, recognized but then ignored, and later hidden from the public.

Higginbotham reveals the history of the shuttle program and the lives of men and women whose stories have been overshadowed by the disaster, as well as the designers, engineers, and test pilots who struggled against the odds to get the first shuttle into space. A masterful blend of riveting human drama and fascinating and absorbing science, Challenger identifies a turning point in history—and brings to life an even more complex and astonishing story than we remember.

Critic reviews

"Heyborne's enthusiasm will keep listeners engaged in learning about where architecture and the future of “livable” cities might be headed."

"Jacques Roy adeptly treads the line between measured and conversational in this excellent performance of Higginbotham’s investigation of the 1986 CHALLENGER catastrophe. Roy maintains the listener’s attention through detailed accounts of the science and engineering underlying the NASA space program while also bringing to life the people involved. We hear the cheerfulness of Christa McAuliffe, who was to be the first teacher in space; the smoldering dread of engineer Roger Boisjoly as he consistently warned that the O-rings could fail in cold weather; and the scathing disbelief of Richard Feynman, who famously plunged an O-ring into ice water during the investigation. The hubris of NASA will remain with listeners, as will smaller moments like crew member Ron McNair playing his saxophone in space."

Holy Sh1t

There's a saying that goes something like 'don''t meet your heroes'. To me NASA was like a nerd utopia where everyone was heroic, honest, driven,,, blah blah blah. NASA might as well be an airline or an insurance company. Bureaucrats and political appointees who first do not love rockets and space travel make the decisions and it just goes to hell. I loved this book and the scales have dropped from my eyes. I was twenty-five when Challenger blew up, and what I didn't know what I needed to know was in this story.

Those who complain about the real and ongoing cancer of racism and gender bias do not understand context. Their loss.

Life of astronauts and engineers

Theres a little bit in here for everyone who remembers when it happened, everyone who has dreamed of going to space, and those of us in the field of engineering. For those of us old enough to remember challenger, it was a shock when we heard what had happened. At the time, the focus was on the people who gave their lives for the space program. This book does a great job of honoring them, while explaining what happened in greater detail and the follow up investigations. As a fellow engineer, the job is normally full of logic but at the same time uncertainty. You want to believe you can design your way out of any situation, although in reality you're limited by the amount of time you have for the project. This book highlights the top tier of engineering where human lives are at stake and the drive to do whats right needs to prevail.

An excellent book

The author does an admirable job of bringing the characters and events of the Challenger disaster to life. Excellent narration as well.

Adam is at it again!

Incredible like all of his books, a great narrative with plenty of technical details and palace intrigue.

I wanted to hear about the science

This book delivered what I wanted, with an unexpected bonus of human drama. I do so enjoy this reader’s voice, as well.