Joanna Carver, reporter
This rare amateur footage of the Challenger disaster comes in at number 1 in our best videos of 2012 countdown.
The television image of the space shuttle Challenger exploding minutes after lift-off is still seared into the memories of many people. But a rare amateur video captured at Orlando airport offers a unique perspective of the tragedy.
The film was captured by registered nurse Bob Karman while returning from a family trip to Disney World. Karman's late wife and 3-year-old daughter Kim - who now works here at New Scientist - are visible at the beginning. The break-up occurs about 41 seconds after the launch but chillingly, none of the onlookers in the video seems to realise that something has gone wrong.
The tragedy, which occurred nearly 27 years ago, happened because exhaust gases corroded O-ring rubber seals on the shuttle's booster rockets at lift-off. The crew cabin detached during the break-up and crashed into the ocean. According to the investigation report, it's likely that the crew were alive, and possibly even conscious, until it hit the surface.
For more about this video, check out the original article, "Rare amateur video captures Challenger tragedy up close". You may also like to see other space-related videos like shuttle Endeavour's launch or watch the key events that took Apollo to the moon.
Best videos of 2012: Rare view of Challenger tragedy
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Best videos of 2012: Rare view of Challenger tragedy
