ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Nedelin disaster

Okay kiddo, let me tell you about something called the Nedelin Disaster. A long time ago in 1960, some very smart people in Russia wanted to launch a big rocket called the R-16. They were very excited and wanted to see if it would work properly.

So they gathered everyone who was helping to make the rocket together in one room. There were lots of people there. Scientists, engineers, and even soldiers. They all had a job to do to make sure the rocket launch would go smoothly.

But something went wrong. Very wrong. The rocket's engines started firing too soon, while a lot of people were still inside the rocket. It was a terrible accident. The rocket exploded and many people were hurt, some even died.

It was a disaster, hence the name Nedelin Disaster. It was a very sad day for everyone in Russia. After that, the smart people made sure to never put so many people in one room again when testing big rockets. They wanted to make sure that everyone was safe and that a disaster like that would never happen again.