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Tuesday is the 34th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger explosion

Space Shuttle Challenger crew: (l-r front) Michael Smith, Francis Scobee, Ronald McNair, (l-r back) Ellison Onizuka, Sharon Christa McAuliffe, Gregory Jarvis and Judith Resnik
Posted at 10:14 AM, Jan 28, 2020
and last updated 2020-01-28 10:22:30-05

(CNN) - Tuesday marks 34 years since the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded after takeoff from the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

On Jan. 28, 1986, Challenger lifted off and exploded 73 seconds into flight.

All seven crew members were killed, including Christa McAuliffe, who would have been the first teacher in space.

The explosion was a result of a rocket booster failure, which ignited the fuel tank.

Other crew members killed included Michael Smith, Francis Scobee, Ronald McNair, Ellison Onizuka, Gregory Jarvis and Judith Resnik.