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The preceding years also bore witness to tragic accidents involving the Space Shuttle programs. The Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986, became an indelible mark in American history as the shuttle exploded shortly after launch due to a malfunction in the solid rocket boosters, claiming the lives of all seven crew members aboard.

Just 17 years later, on February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia met a similar fate upon re-entry, when a piece of insulating foam that had detached during launch severely damaged the shuttle's thermal protection system. This led to disintegration during descent, resulting in the tragic loss of its seven crew members.