Both stories were bad. Challenger was really bad, because it was the first time NASA had deaths since Apollo 1 (Grissom-White-Chaffee). Also, it blew up in such a spectacular manner, like a giant Bottle Rocket.
Columbia was bad because the crew was only 16 minutes from landing safely. They didn't know the ship had a fatal wound in the left wing. It was a hole that let hot gas into the body of the ship on re-entry. They were doomed when they decided to land.
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