What Went Wrong? (Capstone)

After pushing back the flight several times, the Challenger Space Shuttle was ready to launch. On January 28, 1986, the shuttle lifted off. Just 73 seconds into the flight, tragedy struck. Without warning, the Challenger exploded in front of stunned spectators, killing everyone on board. Readers will learn what caused this horrible disaster and the lasting effects to NASA and the space program.

During the 1960s, humans were finally able to explore the universe beyond Earth. But at what cost? Many people lost their lives in a race to go where humans had never gone before. Find out what happened when an explosion on a spacecraft left three U.S. astronauts stranded in space 200,000 miles (321,869 kilometers) from Earth. With a limited supply of food, water, and oxygen, would they make it back to Earth alive?

Before commercial airplanes became a common form of travel, giant airships were a popular mode of long distance transportation for those who could afford it. But airships could be quite dangerous. In an instant, they could explode or catch fire. Explore what happened when the Hindenburg ignited and became a flaming fireball in the sky. Could anyone survive such a horrific disaster?

In 1918 the world was celebrating the end of World War I. But another enemy was just beginning its worldwide attack, infecting nearly one in five people. Explore the causes and effects of a flu pandemic that killed more than 40 million people. Perfect for Common Core studies on analyzing the chronology of an event.