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where was the challenger going

Space Shuttle Challenger’s final mission, STS‑51L, was headed into low Earth orbit to deploy a communications satellite and to support science and education activities, not to a destination like the Moon or another planet.

Where the Challenger was going

The STS‑51L mission was planned to enter a low Earth orbit at an altitude of roughly 150–170 miles (about 240–275 km) above Earth. From there, the crew would complete several days of operations before returning to land in the United States.

Key planned objectives included:

  • Deploy the Tracking and Data Relay Satellite-B (TDRS‑B) using an Inertial Upper Stage to boost it to a higher orbit.
  • Deploy and later recapture the Spartan‑203 satellite to study Halley’s Comet.
  • Conduct the “Teacher in Space” lessons from orbit with Christa McAuliffe teaching students on Earth.
  • Perform additional experiments and student-designed investigations during the six-day mission.

So in everyday terms, when people ask “where was the Challenger going,” the answer is: into low Earth orbit to place a major communications satellite, carry out astronomy observations of Halley’s Comet, and host the first classroom lessons from space.

Quick Scoop (forum-style summary)

Q: Where was the Challenger going when it exploded?
A: It was on its way to low Earth orbit for mission STS‑51L, to deploy a relay satellite, study Halley’s Comet with a small astronomy spacecraft, and host the first teacher in space conducting live lessons.

Some extra context:

  • The launch on January 28, 1986 was meant to be one of many ambitious shuttle flights that year.
  • Strong schedule pressure and very cold weather contributed to the decision to launch despite engineering concerns about the booster O‑rings.
  • The vehicle broke apart 73 seconds after liftoff, and the planned orbit and mission objectives were never reached.

Later flights with other shuttles eventually flew replacement satellites and continued similar science and educational goals, but STS‑51L itself is remembered above all for the loss of its seven‑person crew.

TL;DR: Challenger was going to low Earth orbit to deploy the TDRS‑B satellite, fly a Halley’s Comet astronomy payload (Spartan‑203), and conduct the first teacher‑in‑space lessons before returning to Earth after about six days.

Information gathered from public forums or data available on the internet and portrayed here.