Space Shuttle Challenger

Space Shuttle Challenger (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was NASA's second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, after Columbia. Its maiden voyage was on April 4, 1983, and it made eight further round trips to low earth orbit before exploding 73 seconds into the launch of its tenth mission, on January 28, 1986. (For more on the Challenger disaster, see STS-51-L.) It would later be replaced by the space shuttle Endeavour, which would be launched six years after the 51-L disaster.

Flights

Space Shuttle Challenger flew 10 flights, spent 62.41 days in space, completed 995 orbits, and flew 25,803,940 miles (it is unknown to this editor whether these are nautical or statute miles; 41,527,416 km if statute) in total, including its final mission.

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