The Nation - News from May 24, 1987

Morton Thiokol Inc. engineers fired burning gasses at new rocket nozzle joints, and officials at the Brigham City, Utah, plant said the test was successful. The manufacturer of space shuttle boosters announced that full-scale testing of rocket joint seals will begin Wednesday, for the first time since the shuttle Challenger exploded on launching in January, 1986. Loss of the Challenger and its crew of seven was attributed to faulty seals. Since then, the company has been redesigning the joints between segments of the rockets.