NASA crisis Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

several national reconnaissance office (nro) satellites shuttle launch grounded because of accident, dilemma nro had feared since 1970s when shuttle designated united states primary launch system government , commercial payloads. nasa had difficulties own titan rocket , delta rocket programs, due other unexpected rocket failures occurring before , after challenger disaster. on august 28, 1985, titan 34d carrying kh-11 kennan satellite exploded after liftoff on vandenberg air force base, when first stage propellant feed system failed. first failure of titan missile since 1978. on april 18, 1986, titan 34d-9 carrying classified payload, said big bird spy satellite, exploded @ 830 feet above pad after liftoff on vandenberg afb, when burnthrough occurred on 1 of rocket boosters. on may 3, 1986, delta 3914 carrying goes-g weather satellite exploded 71 seconds after liftoff on cape canaveral air force station due electrical malfunction on delta s first stage, prompted range safety officer on ground decide destroy rocket, few of rocket s boosters jettisoned. result of these 3 failures, nasa decided cancel titan , delta launches cape canaveral , vandenberg 4 months until problem in rockets designs solved.

due shuttle fleet being grounded, excess ammonium perchlorate manufactured rocket fuel kept on site @ pacific engineering , production company of nevada (pepcon) plant in henderson, nevada. excess ammonium perchlorate later caught fire , resulting explosion destroyed pepcon facility , neighboring kidd & co marshmallow factory.