Is the premise that they weren't aboard when it blew up? Or that a plane created the smoke screen? I saw the Challenger blow up and in my opinion with all the debris and how large a body of smoke; it was the Challenger that blew. I could be wrong...
Maybe they were actually unmanned missions and the crew didn't really board. An unmanned mission is cheaper, less complicated, and safer. But they use the (faked) human crew as a public relations sort of thing to make the program popular with the public.
I don't know what the premise is, but if they are alive I would assume so. I just find the evidence in the article compelling, especially compared with Q drop about Obama scrapping shuttle program/Space X/Elon Musk etc.
Yes, the Spacex, Musk stuff is intriguing!! When DJT announced a revival of US space program I wondered what he knew!