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40 Years Ago, This Forgotten Marvel Cartoon Was Canceled After the Challenger Disaster

CBS spent millions on ‘The Young Astronauts,’ but plans for the space-themed cartoon were abandoned after Challenger exploded in 1986.

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In 1985, CBS shelled out $3 million to produce 13 episodes of a new animated series entitled The Young Astronauts, in collaboration with Marvel Comics. The show was meant to promote the Young Astronaut Council, a program for children established by Ronald Reagan the previous year. Known actors hired for the project included Nancy Cartwright (the voice of Bart Simpson) and James Avery (Uncle Phil from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air). 

The show reportedly revolved around a family called the Hamptons, with Cartwright playing their eldest daughter, Wendy. In the pilot, Wendy’s brother, Mikey (Stephen Dorff), ends up on an unmanned “ghost ship” heading for........

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