Final answer:
The failure of these alphabetic rings was blamed for the Challenger disaster. The correct answer is a) O-rings. The failure of the O-rings, which are rubber seals used to prevent leaks in the joints of the rocket boosters, led to the destruction of the spacecraft.
Step-by-step explanation:
The failure of these alphabetic rings was blamed for the Challenger disaster. The correct answer is a) O-rings. The Challenger disaster occurred in 1986 when the Space Shuttle Challenger broke apart 73 seconds into its flight, resulting in the death of all seven crew members. The failure of the O-rings, which are rubber seals used to prevent leaks in the joints of the rocket boosters, led to the destruction of the spacecraft. The cold weather on the day of the launch caused the O-rings to become brittle and lose their flexibility, resulting in a catastrophic failure.