After retiring from spaceflight, Space Shuttle Atlantis didn’t fly into orbit again — but it still took one final ride through the sky! NASA used a specially modified Boeing 747 called the Shuttle Carrier Aircraft (SCA) to transport space shuttles. Instead of carrying passengers, this jumbo jet carried an entire space shuttle mounted on its back. Yes — right on top of the plane! 😲 Here’s how it worked: 🔹 The shuttle was carefully lifted using a giant crane and attached to strong mounting point

The NASA space shuttle Challenger exploded 40 years ago, on January 28, 1986, just 73 seconds after liftoff. The disaster claimed the lives of all seven astronauts aboard, including Christa McAuliffe, a teacher from New Hampshire who would have been the first civilian in space. “The crew of the space shuttle Challenger honored us by the manner in which they lived their lives,” President Regan said in an address to the nation that night. “We will never forget them, nor the last time we saw them,

On January 28th, 1986 the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded and broke apart on take off. This week, Destruction Decoded explores the top 10 most dramatic space accidents, from Baikonur to Cape Canaveral. Watch Destruction Decoded on Wednesdays at 8pm, on National Geographic UK. | National Geographic UK