Which component failed during the Challenger’s January 1986 launch, causing it to explode? Correct
The correct answer is the O-ring seal. The Space Shuttle Challenger disaster in January 1986 was caused by the failure of the O-ring seal in one of the rocket boosters. Among the options provided, the fuel tank itself did not fail but rather the O-ring seal within it. The heat shield is a component designed to protect the spacecraft during re-entry and was not the cause of the Challenger disaster. The nose cone is a part of the spacecraft’s structure and was not the component that failed during the launch. Therefore, the O-ring seal is the correct answer as it was the critical component that failed, leading to the tragic explosion of the Challenger space shuttle.
Source:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dWxsH1lDeAc
https://www.threads.com/@heavyweightwriting/post/DLqM3OGTFge