Challenger: A True Story of Heroism and Disaster on the Edge of Space

by Adam Higginbotham

In Huntsville, Bill Lucas dismissed Larry Mulloy and other senior managers at Marshall from their positions on the shuttle program, before announcing, just a few days before Rogers delivered his report, that he would also retire as Director of the Marshall Space Flight Center. In Utah, Joe Kilminster—who had signed Thiokol’s formal approval to launch Challenger—was transferred to the company’s automotive products division. His boss, Jerry Mason—who had presided over the decision to overturn the engineer’s recommendations—was forced into early retirement. Mason’s faithful yes-man, Cal Wiggins, and Bob Lund, the head of engineering who had cast the deciding vote in the fateful teleconference, were both relieved of their responsibilities and reassigned.