The Challenger Disaster

Feynman gives a guest lecture at Caltech, lamenting the power and limits of science. He argues that scientific truth can be compromised by politics and public perception. The talk sets up the ethical stakes for the Challenger inquiry that follows.

While driving home, Feynman hears on the radio that the Space Shuttle Challenger exploded on takeoff and that the astronauts likely perished. The shocking news shatters complacency and frames the investigation as a fight for truth. He feels personally compelled to uncover what really happened.

A former student phones to invite him to sit on the Presidential Commission investigating the crash. At first he hesitates, wary of political games overshadowing scientific truth. His wife Gwen urges him that a puzzle worth solving awaits him.

Feynman decides to participate in the inquiry after his wife's encouragement, recognizing the importance of uncovering the truth. He travels to Washington to begin the formal process. The case tests his resolve against bureaucratic pressures.

Feynman arrives in Washington and quickly senses that Commission Chairman William Rogers intends to protect NASA. He suspects the inquiry will be constrained by political considerations rather than in-depth truth-seeking. He resolves to pursue the evidence no matter the obstacles.

Unbeknownst to him, the commission will be in recess for five days before any official work begins. During this downtime he tours NASA production facilities to learn and attempt to determine the cause of the accident. He discovers a culture of fear that stifles open discussion of known issues.

While investigating, he uncovers several known issues within the shuttle program and locates a surreptitious note indicating that the loss of a shuttle was expected. The note deepens his conviction that warnings were known but ignored. He begins to connect these findings with the broader atmosphere at NASA.

General Donald J. Kutyna becomes Feynman's ally and helps share information from a secret NASA source who supposedly knows what really happened. The alliance strengthens Feynman's push to reveal the truth despite resistance within the commission. The secrecy highlights the tension between accountability and institutional protection.

As his investigation intensifies, Feynman's health deteriorates and he learns he has cancer. The disease intensifies the urgency to finish the inquiry and expose the truth before it is too late. He takes the illness as a personal reminder of reality's power over public relations.

Realizing the need to present the truth, Feynman returns to Washington to divulge the reason for the shuttle's failure. He prepares to testify and share the hidden evidence with the commission. The moment marks a turning point in the investigation.

During the televised commission hearing, Feynman demonstrates that the O-rings failed due to cold temperatures. He uses a simple experiment to illustrate how the material could not expand properly in cold conditions. The demonstration provides a stark, visual proof that complemented the commission's findings.

The commission issues its report to President Reagan, with an appendix containing Feynman's findings and the memorable line about reality taking precedence over public relations. The conclusion attributes the disaster to O-ring failure in cold conditions and blames organizational pressures for masking the risk. The report marks a formal acceptance of the truth Feynman fought to reveal.

The film closes with a montage celebrating the contributions of the investigators and their efforts to uncover the truth. It highlights the enduring message that reality must guide technology.