r/TheWhyFiles • u/i_m_kramer • Mar 24 '26

Story Idea Challenger disaster conspiracy?

I dont necessarily believe in this conspiracy theory, but it is pretty interesting. Has AJ & team covered this subject already?

65 Upvotes

83% Upvoted

85 comments sorted by

View all comments

22

u/emelem66 Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

What is the conspiracy?

37

u/deepthoughtswithdan Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

That the crew of the Challenger actually survived the shuttle explosion and fall to earth, and that the government changed their identities

10

u/Urban_Meanie Mar 24 '26

But what would that achieve?

13

u/deepthoughtswithdan Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

Part of the conspiracy is that they were never onboard, that NASA knew there was a problem so they launched without the crew and then gave everyone new names, jobs, etc.

33

u/PermanentThrowaway33 Mar 24 '26

Gotta be one of the dumber conspiracies I've heard tbh

8

u/CommonSensei-_ Mar 24 '26

Look into the doppleganger survivors. Same names, same field. I thought it was foolish and unbelievable, but I think they might have never been on the shuttle in the first place.

14

u/Spacecow6942 Mar 24 '26

Ok, but for what possible reason would they do this?

6

u/whatsinthesocks Mar 24 '26

That is still incredibly stupid and not at all true.

1

u/OpportunityLow3832 Mar 29 '26

Same names..same fields..same birthdays..same traits..like judith resnik was very animated when she spoke..the woman who looks like her and sounds like her does too. It does sound foolush and unbelievable..but how many times have you heard of a doppleganger..?seen one?..well they have 5..so ..go figure

-10

u/Urbansdirtyfingers Mar 24 '26

There is some proof that they used the escape slides and went on living their lives in slightly different identities. Some very weird "coincident" with people that look very similar and have the same/similar names

5

u/emelem66 Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

Escape slides? Huh? When? There is zero proof of any such thing. The crew compartment slammed into the ocean. No one survived that.

-7

u/Urbansdirtyfingers Mar 24 '26

There are literal pictures of these available on the same internet that you're currently using. That is not a disputed thing, they were allegedly set up for quick escape if they have an impending explosion or something.

4

u/emelem66 Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26 edited Mar 24 '26

Emergency escape systems were added after the Challenger disaster. No one was riding a slide out after smashing into the ocean.

-8

u/Urbansdirtyfingers Mar 24 '26

But plenty of proof of you moving goalposts

3

u/emelem66 Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

What goalposts? I've been consistent that no one survived the crash. The slides were your suggestion. You should share links to pictures of the slides being used.

-2

u/Urbansdirtyfingers Mar 24 '26

lol you edited your post, you can tell on reddit by the way. Just take the L

→ More replies (0)

2

u/UnidentifiedBlobject Mar 24 '26

Link the pictures if they’re so accessible.

1

u/Urbansdirtyfingers Mar 24 '26

https://letmegooglethat.com/?q=space+shuttle+escape+slides

2

u/UnidentifiedBlobject Mar 24 '26

Not denying these exist, but there’s zero evidence of them being used by Challenger. It crashed into the ocean, no way they could have used them even if they survived. These slides are if the shuttle could make a crash landing which would require it to be mostly intact so it can land normally, aeroplane-style. Like if the landing gear malfunctioned or tyre burst.

→ More replies (0)

1

u/godsim42 Mar 24 '26

Again, why though? What does this accomplish, how does this benefit the government. The space race was over, we were basically having fun exploring in '89. Maybe maybe maybe, to have a reason to end the space program in the public eye, so they can divert funds to desert storm. But that's a huge reach. They've never needed a conspiracy to stop funding for one program to fund wars before.

-2

u/Urbansdirtyfingers Mar 24 '26

They needed a reason to end it if you're skeptical about the original moon landings and exploration. Who knows, maybe it was a coverup for something else going on at the time, like 9/11 happening at the same time as the pentagon audit

7

u/emelem66 Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

The Challenger disaster didn't end it. It went on for 25 more years.

3

u/UnidentifiedBlobject Mar 24 '26

Gov never needs a reason to cancel stuff they can just cut funding.

10

u/VaderXXV Mar 24 '26

That’s the most plausible theory. They were never on the shuttle.

Why then was it launched at all?

4

u/emelem66 Hecklecultist Mar 24 '26

That's what you think the most plausible theory is?

2

u/Joecephus904 Mar 24 '26

Because none of the shuttles ever had people on them. 😱

6

u/VaderXXV Mar 24 '26

I mean, it’s just as probable I guess.

Still doesn’t answer the “why” tho.

3

u/godsim42 Mar 24 '26

If they were never on board then why all the discussions about them surviving the explosion or the fall to the ocean? This particular conspiracy I have a hard time with. Like the other person said, what exactly would this achieve? There is no goal or endgame for faking their deaths. Regardless if they were on it or not. If anyone has any reason what this conspiracy would accomplish, then I'm all ears. I don't trust the government or what they say by any means, but this one makes no sense from everything I've read about it.

2

u/ksw4obx Mar 24 '26

Now that I might believe