NASA [Image] Challenger's Maiden Nighttime Flight

Challenger's Maiden Nighttime Flight

Space shuttle Challenger's third flight was the first to have its beginnings in darkness, as NASA's eighth space shuttle launch lit up the Florida sky at 2:32 a.m. EDT, Aug. 30, 1983. The STS-8 crew consisted of Commander Richard Truly, pilot Daniel Brandenstein, and mission specialists Dale Gardner, Guy Bluford and William Thornton. On Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger and its crew were lost when a booster engine failed, causing the shuttle to break apart just 73 seconds after launch. Image Credit: NASA