Former astronaut and professor Terry Hart is opening up 40 years later about the friends and colleagues he lost on board the space shuttle Challenger explosion.

NASA's space shuttle Challenger completed 10 missions before it broke apart during a launch in 1986, killing seven astronauts.

Dr. Ronald McNair, born in Lake City and the second African American man in space, was honored with the title of "Palmetto Pioneer" Wednesday afternoon.

The tragic explosion of the Challenger space shuttle killed all 7 spacefarers on board. A pilot for the mission was from North Carolina.

Today marks the 40th anniversary of the Challenger explosion. One of the crew members called South Carolina home.

News10NBC's Erin Mahon explored how the legacy of the 1986 Challenger disaster continues to impact aspiring astronauts of today on Wednesday.

Steve Hawley, who flew five Space Shuttle missions, and Krista Schaffer, a first-grade teacher at Christa McAuliffe Elementary in Lenexa reflect on the 40th anniversary of the Challenger disaster.

Forty years ago, Americans were shocked when the space shuttle Challenger exploded 73 seconds after it launched on a chilly day in Florida.

The worlds of science and education come together at the Challenger Learning Center in Hammond, Indiana, which honors the legacy of the "Challenger seven," while inspiring future generations of explorers.