If the crew of the Challenger 51-L had been wearing ACES suits (a post-Challenger invention), could at least some of them had a fighting chance of bailing out of the mostly intact
![Official Astronaut Portrait of Kay Hire in individual ACES suit. - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search Official Astronaut Portrait of Kay Hire in individual ACES suit. - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search](https://cdn2.picryl.com/photo/2009/10/26/official-astronaut-portrait-of-kay-hire-in-individual-aces-suit-38c746-1024.jpg)
Official Astronaut Portrait of Kay Hire in individual ACES suit. - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search
Space Shuttle Advanced Crew Escape Suit 1994-2011 > National Museum of the United States Air Force™ > Display
![Official Individual ACES suit photo Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez, mission specialist - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search Official Individual ACES suit photo Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez, mission specialist - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search](https://cdn2.picryl.com/photo/2009/02/10/official-individual-aces-suit-photo-astronaut-jose-m-hernandez-mission-specialist-37a66c-1024.jpg)
Official Individual ACES suit photo Astronaut Jose M. Hernandez, mission specialist - PICRYL - Public Domain Media Search Engine Public Domain Search
Space Shuttle Advanced Crew Escape Suit 1994-2011 > National Museum of the United States Air Force™ > Display
![ESA - STS-116 Shuttle crew, wearing their orange Advanced Crew Escape Suits (ACES), walkout for the practice countdown at KSC ESA - STS-116 Shuttle crew, wearing their orange Advanced Crew Escape Suits (ACES), walkout for the practice countdown at KSC](https://www.esa.int/var/esa/storage/images/esa_multimedia/images/2006/11/sts-116_shuttle_crew_wearing_their_orange_advanced_crew_escape_suits_aces_walkout_for_the_practice_countdown_at_ksc/9555700-4-eng-GB/STS-116_Shuttle_crew_wearing_their_orange_Advanced_Crew_Escape_Suits_ACES_walkout_for_the_practice_countdown_at_KSC_pillars.jpg)