35 years ago, Hawaii lost one of its own in Challenger disaster
HONOLULU (HawaiiNewsNow) - Thirty-five years ago, the Challenger explosion killed seven astronauts, including Hawaii’s Ellison Onizuka.
On January 28, 1986, the horrific scene was broadcast live on national television when ― 73 seconds after liftoff from the Kennedy Space Station ― the rocket exploded.
The nation watched in disbelief as you can see in these three videos from the HNN archives.
Onizuka was 39 when he died. He was NASA’s first Asian-American astronaut.
Born and raised on the Big Island, Onizuka left a lasting legacy in Hawaii.
Onizuka's brother, Claude, saw the tragedy first-hand.
"We were about three miles from the launch site out in an open observation area. When the Challenger blew up, it was almost overhead," he said.
An investigation showed cold temperatures compromised the seals in the Challenger's twin rocket boosters.
Onizuka said when his brother was alive, he prepared his family for a worst-case scenario.
“Ellison always told us if anything went wrong, it’s like sitting on top of a giant bomb,” Claude Onizuka recounted, when HNN interviewed him back in 2016.
In a new docuseries now available for streaming, ‘Challenger: The Final Flight,’ Netflix recounts the tragedy.
Using archival footage and new interviews with officials, astronauts, journalists and the family members of the crew, the series looks at why the accident occurred and how it impacted both NASA and the individuals directly involved.
Related coverage:
A photo brought to space in honor of Ellison Onizuka finds its Hawaii home
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