What technical anomaly caused the Space Shuttle Challenger structural breakup?

Answer

O-ring seals failure in the right Solid Rocket Booster (SRB).

The catastrophic failure of the Space Shuttle Challenger was traced directly to the O-ring seals located within the joints of the Solid Rocket Boosters. These seals are vital for preventing superheated combustion gases from escaping the SRB segments. On the day of the launch, unusually cold temperatures caused the O-rings to lose their resilience and fail to seal properly. Once the seal breached, the escaping hot gases burned through the external fuel tank structure, leading almost immediately to the structural breakup of the entire vehicle while it was still under ascent thrust.

What technical anomaly caused the Space Shuttle Challenger structural breakup?

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