Challenger disaster remembered 40 years later as NASA prepares for new lunar mission

The same cold weather is happening as NASA preps for the Artemis II mission. Investigators later determined the disaster was caused by failure of rubber O-ring seals in the solid rocket boosters, which were compromised by unusually cold temperatures. CLICK TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX LOCAL APPThe 1986 disaster was ultimately traced back to the failure of O-rings — critical rubber seals in the Solid Rocket Boosters (SRBs). On that freezing January morning, temperatures had plummeted, causing the rubber seals to harden and lose their elasticity. NASA Chief Exploration Scientist Jacob Bleacher sums up the modern philosophy: "We’re going to launch when it’s safe and we’re ready."