Icicles on the Launch Tower - GPN-2000-001348Public Domainview terms

NASA - Great Images in NASA Description

Ice on the launch tower hours before Challenger launch

Icicles formed on the launch pad and service tower in the evening and early morning hours on January 28, 1986. When it was determined that air temperatures combined with wind speeds were going to cause freezing conditions, a decision was made to leave all water supply lines on slow "trickle" to prevent line burst. This action resulted in a surreal scene for the Florida launch facility.

STS-51-L grey smoke on SRB Public Domain

NASA - NASA

Gray smoke escaping from the right side SRB

Camera D-67 shows grey smoke near the aft attach strut on the right SRB. Photo courtesy NASA. Source: NASA Photo ID: STS51L-10144 Program: Shuttle Mission: STS-51L Date Taken: 1986-01-28 Film Type: 35mm Title: Liftoff of the Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission Description: Close-up view of the Liftoff of the Shuttle Challenger for STS 51-L mission taken from camersite 39B-2/T3. Kennedy Space Center alternative photo numbers are 108-KSC-386C-774/36 and 40 Alternatesource: http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/SRH_Disasters_files/image006.png
http://www.cbsnews.com/network/news/space/SRH_Disasters.htm
Uploaded by Betacommand
Created: January 1 1986

Files from NASA with known IDs, Launch of STS-51L, PD NASA

NASA - STS-51L Shuttle Mission Imagery NASA JSC Digital Image Collection photo id STS51L(S)002

Jay Greene at his console after the breakup of Challenger

Mission Control following announcement that STS 51-L launch phase was not proceeding nominally: Flight Directors Jay H. Greene (right) and Alan L. (Lee) Briscoe study data on monitors at their consoles in the flight control room (FCR) of JSC Mission Control Center.

The intact crew cabin was seen exiting the cloud by a tracking camera after its trajectory carried it across an adjacent contrail.

Destruction of the Space Shuttle Challenger. At about 76 seconds, fragments of the Orbiter can be seen tumbling against a background of fire, smoke and vaporized propellants from the External Tank. The left Solid Rocket Booster (SRB) flies rampant, still thrusting. The reddish-brown cloud envelops the disintegrating Orbiter. The color is indicative of the nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer propellant in the Orbiter Reaction Control System.

The intact crew cabin was seen exiting the cloud by a tracking camera after its trajectory carried it across an adjacent contrail.

Cropped portion of original photo highlighting crew-cabin with a highlighted arrow for clarity.

The remains of the Challenger crew are transferred to a C-141 at the NASA KSC Shuttle Landing Facility, bound for Dover Air Force Base, Delaware.

The Space Shuttle Challenger crewmember remains are being transferred from 7 hearse vehicles to a MAC C-141 transport plane at the Kennedy Space Center's Shuttle Landing Facility for transport to Dover Air Force Base, Delaware. The STS-51L crew consisted of: Pilot, Mike Smith; Commander, Dick Scobee; Mission Specialist, Ron McNair; Mission Specialist, Ellison S. Onizuka; Payload Specialist, Greg Jarvis; Mission Specialist, Judy Resnik; and Teacher in Space Participant Sharon Christa McAuliffe.

Plume on right SRB at T+ 58.778 seconds

At 58.778 seconds into powered flight, a large flame plume is visible just above the SRB exhaust nozzle indicating a breach in the motor casing.