The Rogers Commission traced the disaster to a failed O-ring seal in the right solid rocket booster, compromised by unusually cold conditions. Engineers’ objections had not stopped the launch. Investigators also exposed failures in communication and management, making clear that this was more than a mechanical breakdown. Shuttle flights stopped for over two years while NASA introduced changes. For the families left behind, however, no investigation or redesign could restore the futures lost that morning.

President Reagan and Nancy Reagan and families of the “Challenger” victims at the memorial service for the space shuttle crew in Houston Texas / Wikipedia Commons