English: Destruction of the Challenger space shuttle. At about 76 seconds into the flight, fragments of the orbiter can be seen tumbling against a background of fire, smoke and vaporized propellants from the external tank. The left solid rocket booster flies rampant, still thrusting. The reddish-brown cloud envelops the disintegrating orbiter. The color is indicative of the nitrogen tetroxide oxidizer propellant in the orbiter's reaction-control system.