Amazon series about Challenger disaster, astronaut Sally Ride to film on Tybee Island

TYBEE, Ga. (WTOC) - Tybee Island’s beaches and pier are set to serve as the backdrop for an upcoming Amazon limited-series drama about the 1986 Space Shuttle Challenger tragedy.

State environmental regulators have cleared production to film scenes for The Challenger, a drama focusing on astronaut Sally Ride—the first American woman in space—and the events leading up to the shuttle disaster.

According to a Letter of Permission issued by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources Coastal Resources Division, filming is slated for the first week of November across three main island locations:

• Walter Parker Pier and Pavilion: Crews will stage a “walk-and-talk” scene, prompting a temporary closure of the pier and pavilion to the public for roughly three hours on shoot day.
• 6th to 7th Street Beach: A stunt sequence featuring a performer launching a parasail from the beach into open water, supported by dedicated marine safety vessels and U.S. Coast Guard coordination.
• 19th Street and Chatham Avenue: Overnight filming scheduled between 4 p.m. and 4 a.m., involving a beachfront fireworks display, an ocean swim sequence, and dune-path access from a private residence.

State regulators outlined strict environmental safeguards under Georgia’s Shore Protection Act. Production crews are barred from disturbing dune vegetation, must use protective mats and designated travel corridors for heavy equipment, refuel all vehicles off the sand on paved surfaces, and hand-rake all affected beach areas back to their natural condition once filming wraps.

Production assistants and security will manage intermittent pedestrian holds along public dune crosswalks during active camera takes.

The limited series is set to star Kristen Stewart as Sally Ride.