Which space shuttles were destroyed, killing the American astronauts onboard?

Which space shuttles were destroyed, killing the American astronauts onboard?

• A. Columbia and Challenger
• B. Endeavour
• C. Discovery
• D. Atlantis

Answer: (A)

Two space shuttles were destroyed during missions, and all crew aboard were lost in those disasters. Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff in January 1986 due to an O-ring failure in cold conditions. Columbia disintegrated during re-entry in February 2003 after damage from insulating foam that had struck the left wing during launch. The other orbiters—Endeavour, Discovery, and Atlantis—completed many flights and were not destroyed; Endeavour flew as a replacement for Challenger, while Discovery and Atlantis carried astronauts on numerous missions and concluded their service without a fatal accident. So the shuttles that were destroyed are Challenger and Columbia.

Two space shuttles were destroyed during missions, and all crew aboard were lost in those disasters. Challenger broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff in January 1986 due to an O-ring failure in cold conditions. Columbia disintegrated during re-entry in February 2003 after damage from insulating foam that had struck the left wing during launch. The other orbiters—Endeavour, Discovery, and Atlantis—completed many flights and were not destroyed; Endeavour flew as a replacement for Challenger, while Discovery and Atlantis carried astronauts on numerous missions and concluded their service without a fatal accident. So the shuttles that were destroyed are Challenger and Columbia.