A new documentary series about the 1986 Challenger space shuttle has joined the Netflix lineup. The four-part series, Challenger: The Final Flight, premiered September 16. The program, executive produced by J.J. Abrams and Glen Zipper, examines the space shuttle, which tragically broke apart 73 seconds after launch as millions of Americans—many of them schoolchildren— watched live on television. The series offers an in-depth look at one of the most diverse crews NASA assembled, including high school teacher Christa McAuliffe, who was selected to be the first private citizen in space. A trailer for the docuseries was released on Sept. 2. Watch it below.
With reviews still coming in, the series has earned a 87% positive rating on Rotten Tomatoes.
From the announcement: Conversations with the crew’s surviving family members help create a poignant and relatable portrait of the astronauts. Directors Steven Leckart and Daniel Junge also delve into the “fatally flawed decision process” and mechanical failures that led to the disaster, interviewing former NASA officials and engineers who worked on the failed booster engine and had repeated concerns about its safety.
Challenger: The Final Flight incorporates never-before-seen interviews, training footage and rare archival material to give viewers the most unfiltered, emotional behind-the-scenes look at these events to date.
Watch the official trailer
Related: When Dark Side of the Moon was released
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