RASC Star Talks with Experts!

A Cold Day at the Cape

A Commemoration of the Challenger Accident

WHAT

A special public talk presented by the Royal Astronomical Society of Canada.

WHEN

Saturday, January 24, 2026

2:30 PM - 4:00 PM

AGES

All Ages

COST

Free event – Registration required
This event does not include access to TELUS Spark Science Centre before or after the talk.

Witness the moment that changed space exploration forever.

From the awe of launch day to the aftermath that reshaped NASA, this powerful talk explores the Challenger tragedy through the eyes of a firsthand witness. Examining not just what went wrong, but how science learns, adapts, and moves forward.

Covering space launches at the Kennedy Space Center has been local space historian Joel Powell’s passion since the early 1980s.

Powell witnessed 29 space shuttle launches since June 1982 and was an eyewitness to the shuttle Challenger tragedy nearly 40 years ago. Mr. Powell will share his experiences on that terrible day at the space center in January 1986 and describe NASA’s lengthy accident investigation.

There will be brief introductions of the seven astronauts who lost their lives that morning, as well as descriptions of the payloads that were destroyed with the shuttle Challenger.

Finally, the presentation will examine NASA’s recovery from the accident that culminated in the successful “Return to Flight” mission in September 1988.

This presentation is suitable for all ages. Please note that the topic covers a tragic accident that resulted in the loss of seven astronauts’ lives and may include sensitive content about the Challenger tragedy.

  • Space Historian and Launch Eyewitness

Joel Powell

Joel Powell has been a frequent visitor to Cape Canaveral in Florida over the past fifteen years and has witnessed over two dozen Atlas, Delta, and Titan launches from the Cape. Growing up in western Canada during the Apollo moon landing era, Mr. Powell has maintained a lifelong interest in space exploration, particularly Cape Canaveral. He has toured many of the historic Canaveral launch complexes and participated in the successful rediscovery of the Alpha-Draco launch emplacement at old pad 10 in 2001. Joel Powell is the author of “Go for Launch: An Illustrated History of Cape Canaveral” and is a freelance correspondent for SPACEFLIGHT magazine and serves as a Department Editor for QUEST magazine, a quarterly journal of space history.

Registration Information

Seating for the Infinity Dome talk is guaranteed with registration. Please note that only a limited number of walk-up spots will be available.

Register in advance to secure your seat.

Important Notes

  • Registration is required.
  • This event is free and does not include access to TELUS Spark Science Centre before or after the talk.

Content Advisory

This presentation includes sensitive content related to the Challenger tragedy.

Register Now

Go ahead, binge-watch!

All dome movies are included with General Admission or a Spark Membership.

See All Dome Movies Buy Tickets