The Burning Blue

The Untold Story of Christa McAuliffe and NASA's Challenger Disaster

By: Kevin Cook

Narrated by: Rick Adamson

On January 28, 1986, NASA's space shuttle Challenger exploded after blasting off from Cape Canaveral. Christa McAuliffe, America's "Teacher in Space", was instantly killed, along with the other six members of the mission. At least that's what most of us remember.

Kevin Cook tells us what really happened on that ill-fated, unforgettable day. He traces the pressures - leading from NASA to the White House - that triggered the fatal order to launch on an ice-cold Florida morning. Cook takes listeners inside the shuttle for the agonizing minutes after the explosion, which the astronauts did indeed survive. He uncovers the errors and corner-cutting that led an overconfident space agency to launch a crew that had no chance to escape.

But this is more than a corrective to a now-dimming memory. Centering on McAuliffe, a charmingly down-to-earth civilian on the cusp of history, The Burning Blue animates a colorful cast of characters: a pair of red-hot flyers at the shuttle's controls, the second female and first Jewish astronaut, the second Black astronaut, and the first Asian American and Buddhist in space. Drawing vivid portraits of Christa and the astronauts, Cook makes listeners forget the fate they're hurtling toward.

©2021 Kevin Cook (P)2021 Tantor

Heartbreaking and Informative!

Cook does a tremendous job with this book. The listener really gets to know each of these hero’s and the tragedy is just as devastating all these years later.

The Burning Blue

Without a doubt, a definite must read! Fascinating, check it out it's well worth it.

Excellent book

This book is a comprehensive, well researched book that brought the Challenger crew and their families to life. I enjoyed it quite a bit.

Full five stars, no complaints

Better than I expected, and I didn’t have low expectations. I thought it might not be interesting—wrong! Wonderful detail and holds your fascination. Highly recommend for anyone interested in this human interest tragedy.

Excellent

Excellent book.
Gives depth to a story I saw unfold as a 14 yr old boy. Informative and touching.