Beyoncé criticised by Challenger disaster families over audio sample

Space agency Nasa has reacted angrily to a new Beyoncé song that features an audio sample recorded just after the Challenger shuttle exploded on take-off in 1986, killing all seven crew members.

Nasa issued a statement after the pop star received criticism from Challenger families and others for using the sample that includes the words “major malfunction” as an allusion to a failed relationship. It appears on the track ‘XO’, from her new self-titled album.

“The Challenger accident is an important part of our history; a tragic reminder that space exploration is risky and should never be trivialised,” said the statement from Lauren Worley, Nasa’s press secretary.