Q 01/05

What did the Challenger crew's families found in 1986?

A) A scholarship fund

B) A safety watchdog

C) An education center

D) A space museum

Answer · why

C) An education center

An education center was the families' living tribute, founded to carry on the crew's teaching mission, and its first site opened in Houston in 1988.

Q 02/05

What did Challenger's right booster swing into after breaking loose?

A) Left booster

B) External tank

C) Main engines

D) Crew cabin

Answer · why

B) External tank

The external tank collapsed, releasing its liquid hydrogen and oxygen, and the shuttle broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff at nearly twice the speed ...

Q 03/05

What did Reagan say the Shuttle would stop launching?

A) Military satellites

B) Science probes

C) Commercial satellites

D) Space laboratories

Answer · why

C) Commercial satellites

Commercial satellites went to private rockets, Reagan said, so the shuttles could be kept for national-security payloads and exploration.

Q 04/05

What was switched on for three of Challenger's crew after the breakup?

A) Their ejection seats

B) Their emergency air packs

C) A cabin escape rocket

D) Their pressure-suit oxygen

Answer · why

B) Their emergency air packs

Their emergency air packs were meant for escapes on the ground, yet three were switched on after the breakup, so some of the crew survived it at least...

Q 05/05

Which company manufactured the solid rocket boosters?

A) Rockwell International

B) Martin Marietta

C) Lockheed

D) Morton Thiokol

Answer · why

D) Morton Thiokol

Morton Thiokol set up an O-ring task force in August 1985, but its engineers complained in memos that the work was constantly delayed and short of sup...