Answer :
The meaning of the phrase "slipped the surly bonds of earth" means that the shuttle broke through gravity as the astronauts lost their lives, option C.
What is gravity?
As we know, gravity is the force that causes bodies to be attracted by other bodies of higher mass. We and all other beings and objects on this planet are subjected to gravity all the time, which is why we don't just fall off the Earth, so to speak.
The phrase under analysis here is an example of figurative language, that is, the use of language is an unusual way to mean something else. The "surly bonds of earth" refer to gravity. Gravity is the bond that chains us to Earth, so to speak. The phrase means that the shuttle broke through gravity by reaching escape velocity.
With that in mind, we can choose option C as the right answer.
Learn more about gravity here:
https://brainly.com/question/557206
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