NASA Challenger Accident records, January 24th, 1986-September 9, 1986
Collection context
Summary
- Creator:
- United States. National Aeronautics and Space Administration
- Puddy, Donald Ray, 1937-2004
- Extent:
- 0.75 Linear Feet 2 boxes
- Language:
- English
Background
- Scope and content:
The NASA Challenger Accident records are mainly comprised of paper documents generated by NASA during the investigation into the Challenger Shuttle accident that took place on January 28th, 1986. There is one report that was generated before the launch. Materials includes notes, memoranda, correspondence, reports, procedures, and reviews documenting the investigation into the Challenger accident between January 24th, 1986 and September 9th, 1986. This collection provides insight into the Challenger accident investigation.
- Biographical / historical:
The Space Shuttle Challenger was manufactured by Rockwell International for the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), Space Shuttle and underwent its maiden voyage in April 1983. It operated for three years and was flown on nine missions, including the launches of many civilian satellites. On January 28th, 1986, the Challenger's tenth mission, pressurized, burning gas leaked from the rocket boosters due to an O-ring seal failure and killed all seven crew members aboard. Those aboard were Commander Francis R. "Dick" Scobee, Pilot Michael J. Smith, Mission Specialists Ellison S. Onizuka, Judith A. Resnik and Ronald E. McNair, and Payload Specialists Gregory B. Jarvis and S. Christa McAuliffe, an American civilian teacher and astronaut, flying as part of the Teacher in Space Project.
Donald Ray Puddy, the collector of these records, joined NASA in 1964 as a flight controller, eventually becoming the 10th flight director for the administration. He served in this role during the Apollo 17, Skylab, Apollo-Soyuz Test Project missions, and the first Space Shuttle Mission. He received accolades such as the Presidential Medal of Freedom and the NASA Outstanding Leadership Medal. Because he was unaffiliated with the Challenger's final mission, he became one of the officials responsible for the initial investigation, liaising with the press, and collecting and retaining unclassified documents found within this collection.
- Acquisition information:
- Purchased from Tomberg Rare Books in 2021 (CFM2021_08).
- Processing information:
Processed and finding aid preapred by Adam Hunt in 2022. Finding aid revised for consistency by Chloe Lanham in 2026.
- Arrangement:
The collection is arranged chronologically by the date of creation with undated materials sorted at the end of the arrangement.
- Rules or conventions:
- Describing Archives: A Content Standard
Indexed terms
Access and use
- Restrictions:
The entire collection is open for research
- Terms of access:
Unpublished records are protected by copyright. Permission to publish quote or reproduce must be secured from the repository and the copyright holder.
- Location of this collection:
-
John C. Hitt Library12701 Pegasus Drive, Building 2OrlandoFL32816-8030USA
