In 2003, close to two decades after the Challenger disaster, seven astronauts were killed in another space shuttle accident. 

History has repeated itself and NASA faces another reckoning — the parallels between the two disasters are undeniable. 

To hear more podcast episodes from hosts Fiona Pepper and Dr Karl Kruszelnicki about the legacy the 1986 Challenger space shuttle disaster left on culture, space exploration and high-risk decision making, search ‘Science Friction: The Challenger Legacy podcast’ from Radio National (RN) on the ABC Listen App (Australia), or wherever you get your podcasts.

Guests:

Miles O'BrienAerospace correspondent, CNN

Jon ClarkFormer NASA physician and husband of Laurel Clark

Mike CiannilliFormer Columbia integration systems engineer, NASA

Julie PayetteFormer astronaut, NASA

Credits:

• Presenters: Fiona Pepper and Karl Kruszelnicki
• Reporter: Fiona Pepper
• Senior Producer: James Bullen
• Series Producer: Jonathan Webb
• Executive Producer: Petria Ladgrove
• Sound Engineer: Tim Jenkins
• Archives Research: Lisa Chidlow, Michael Osmond

Special thanks to the Clark family for sharing their family archives.

This story was made on the lands of the Gadigal and Menang Noongar peoples.