ABSTRACT
The Space Shuttle Challenger exploded in midair, just 73 seconds into flight, killing all seven crew members. The Presidential Commission investigating the explosion concluded that the loss of Challenger was due to a failure in the joint between two segments of the right Solid Rocket Booster. The chapter contributes to the evolving reexamination of the explosion by considering the fact, which previous investigations ignore, that those involved in the decision to launch Challenger were all men; author’s interest is in the gendered character of the events and decisions leading to the Challenger explosion. Indeed, such an investigation opens a window to corporate decision-making, generating new insights into corporate masculinities and corporate crime. Gender is one of the most significant ways we make sense of our daily work environment, and work in the paid labor market is a crucial condition for the construction of masculinities.
