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The Thirty-One Seconds That Saved Columbia From Exploding
A space shuttle launch faces a critical engine failure, threatening an explosion on the pad. The crew is unaware of how close they are to disaster.
The Thirty-One Seconds That Saved Columbia From Exploding
This episode explores the near-catastrophic launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia on January 6, 1986, and the role of a payload specialist who spent years building the satellite it carried. It raises the question of what happens when a system designed to prevent failure barely catches it in time.
Event: Space Shuttle Columbia launch attempt STS-61-C
Date: January 6, 1986
Payload: Satcom…
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