The 20th anniversary of the space shuttle Challenger disaster is upon us, and what better time to er . . . explode some of the myths that have grown up around the horrific event, which took the lives of the seven astronauts on board.James Oberg, an NBC News space analyst and former Mission Control operator at NASA's Johnson Space Center, does just that in this interesting piece.
Here are the myths:
* A nation watched as the tragedy unfolded.
* The Challenger exploded.
* The crew died instantly.
* Dangerous booster flaws were the result of meddling.
* An environmental ban led to a weaker pressure sealant.
* Political pressure forced the launch after repeated delays.
* The disaster was an unavoidable price for progress.
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