Will space travel ever be safe?
Nasa marks 30th anniversary of the Challenger shuttle tragedy

Nasa will today honour the people who have lost their lives pushing back the frontiers of space travel on its annual day of remembrance.
But 30 years on from the launch of the ill-fated Challenger shuttle, will space travel ever be safe?
How many people have died?
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.

Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Nasa lost its first astronauts in 1967, when a fire during a ground test killed three people preparing for the Apollo I mission.
Disaster struck again on 28 January 1986, 30 years ago today, when a booster engine failed on the space shuttle Challenger and it broke apart within minutes of its launch. All seven astronauts on board were killed.
Seven more Nasa astronauts were killed in 2003, when the Colombia shuttle disintegrated over Texas as it re-entered the Earth's atmosphere.
Why is space travel so dangerous?
One of the main reasons is the staggeringly high cost. "It's so expensive that we tend to start flying our missions very, very early in the development phase," Nasa's Bryan O'Connor has said. Space travel also requires dangerously large amounts of energy, while re-entry generates temperatures so extreme they can burn through the craft's exterior. "Launching humans into space is not easy. We've learned that over time, through some very hard lessons in the shuttle programme," says Bob Doremus, safety manager for Nasa's shuttle programme.
Can it ever be safe?
With growing plans for commercial space travel, safety is an increasing concern. Some predict space flight will become as routine as air travel, but experts warn it will never be without risk - there is a one in 65 chance of something going badly wrong, according to the BBC's Tim Bowler. "This may be acceptable for astronauts and cosmonauts, who are often ex-test pilots used to risks, but not for rich thrill-seekers," he adds.
[[{"type":"media","view_mode":"content_original","fid":"90065","attributes":{"class":"media-image"}}]]
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
-
Wonsan-Kalma: North Korea's new 'mammoth' beach resort
Under the Radar Pyongyang wants to boost tourism but there won't be many foreign visitors to Kim Jong Un's 'pet project'
-
The 5 best TV reboots of all time
The Week Recommends Finding an entirely new cast to play beloved characters is harder than it looks
-
Codeword: July 10, 2025
The Week's daily codeword puzzle
-
One year after mass protests, why are Kenyans taking to the streets again?
today's big question More than 60 protesters died during demonstrations in 2024
-
What happens if tensions between India and Pakistan boil over?
TODAY'S BIG QUESTION As the two nuclear-armed neighbors rattle their sabers in the wake of a terrorist attack on the contested Kashmir region, experts worry that the worst might be yet to come
-
Why Russia removed the Taliban's terrorist designation
The Explainer Russia had designated the Taliban as a terrorist group over 20 years ago
-
Inside the Israel-Turkey geopolitical dance across Syria
THE EXPLAINER As Syria struggles in the wake of the Assad regime's collapse, its neighbors are carefully coordinating to avoid potential military confrontations
-
'Like a sound from hell': Serbia and sonic weapons
The Explainer Half a million people sign petition alleging Serbian police used an illegal 'sound cannon' to disrupt anti-government protests
-
The arrest of the Philippines' former president leaves the country's drug war in disarray
In the Spotlight Rodrigo Duterte was arrested by the ICC earlier this month
-
Ukrainian election: who could replace Zelenskyy?
The Explainer Donald Trump's 'dictator' jibe raises pressure on Ukraine to the polls while the country is under martial law
-
Why Serbian protesters set off smoke bombs in parliament
THE EXPLAINER Ongoing anti-corruption protests erupted into full view this week as Serbian protesters threw the country's legislature into chaos