Plot Synopsis

In this four-part documentary series from J.J. Abrams' Bad Robot Productions, engineers, officials, and the crew members' families provide their perspective on the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986 and its aftermath. The series opens by chronicling how the new Space Shuttle program captivated America and drew a diverse, determined crop of astronauts...but safety issues arose out of public view. To revive public interest, NASA chose teacher Christa McAuliffe to be the first civilian on the Shuttle. Issues with the solid rocket boosters lingered. After several delays, the crew prepared for launch as engineers and NASA officials tensely discussed concerns about the O-rings during a cold weather launch. Challenger's shocking explosion devastates the families of the crew as well as millions watching live, and an investigation puts NASA on the defensive. On Wednesday, September 16, 2020 at 3:01am ET/12:01am PT, Netflix released all four episodes of CHALLENGER: THE FINAL FLIGHT.