CNN News reports Columbia disintegration.

STS-107 mission patch

The Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated over Texas during re-entry into the Earth's atmosphere, with the loss of all seven crew, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107. The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... The Cable News Network, commonly known as CNN, is a major cable television network founded in 1980 by Ted Turner. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... Image File history File links This is a lossless scalable vector image. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... Atmospheric entry is the transition from the vacuum of space to the atmosphere of any planet or other celestial body. ... Air redirects here. ... The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ...

The loss of the Columbia was caused by damage sustained during launch when a piece of flab insulation the size of a small briefcase and known as the Right Bipod Foam Ramp broke off the Space Shuttle external tank (the main propellant tank) under the aerodynamic forces of launch. The debris struck the leading edge of the right wing on the number 7 reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) tile, damaging the Shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS). While Columbia was still in orbit, some engineers suspected damage, but NASA managers limited the investigation on the grounds that little could be done even if problems were found.^[1] A Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) on its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building. ... Aerodynamics is a branch of fluid dynamics concerned with the study of gas flows, first analysed by George Cayley in the 1800s. ... The Leading Edge is a Speculative fiction magazine founded in 1981, located in Provo, Utah, and which has published stories by Dave Wolverton and Orson Scott Card, among others. ... Mock-up of a space shuttle leading edge, showing brittle failure of RCC due to foam impact reproducing the conditions of Columbias final launch. ... For other uses, see NASA (disambiguation). ...

NASA's Shuttle safety regulations stated that external tank foam shedding and subsequent debris strikes upon the Shuttle itself were safety issues that needed to be resolved before a launch was cleared, but launches were often given the go-ahead as engineers unsuccessfully studied the foam shedding problem. The majority of Shuttle launches recorded such foam strikes and thermal tile scarring in violation of safety regulations. During re-entry of STS-107, the damaged area allowed the hot gases to penetrate and destroy the internal wing structure,^[2] eventually causing the in-flight breakup of the vehicle. A massive ground search in parts of Texas, Louisiana and Arkansas recovered crew remains and many vehicle fragments. This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ...

The Columbia Accident Investigation Board's recommendations addressed both technical and organizational issues. The Space Shuttle program was set back over two years by the disaster, a delay comparable only to that resulting from the Challenger disaster. Concurrently, construction of the International Space Station was put on hold, and the station relied entirely on the Russian Federal Space Agency for resupply and crew rotation until STS-114. Memorial emblem for the three U.S. human space flight accidents. ... NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... For further information about Challengers mission and crew, see STS-51-L. The iconic image of Space Shuttle Challengers smoke plume after its breakup 73 seconds after launch. ... ISS redirects here. ... The Russian Federal Space Agency (Russian: Федеральное космическое агентство России, commonly known as Roskosmos) or RKA, formerly the Russian Aviation and Space Agency (Russian: Российское авиационно-космическое агентство, commonly known as Rosaviakosmos), is the government agency responsible for Russias space science programme and general aerospace research. ... STS-114 was the first return to flight Space Shuttle mission following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. ...

Crew

The crew of STS-107. L to R: Brown, Husband, Clark, Chawla, Anderson, McCool, Ramon.

• Commander: Rick D. Husband, a US Air Force colonel and mechanical engineer, who piloted a previous shuttle during the first docking with the International Space Station (STS-96).
• Pilot: William C. McCool, a US Navy commander
• Payload Commander: Michael P. Anderson, a US Air Force lieutenant colonel and physicist who was in charge of the science mission.
• Payload Specialist: Ilan Ramon, a colonel in the Israeli Air Force and the first Israeli astronaut.
• Mission Specialist: Kalpana Chawla, an Indian-born aerospace engineer on her second space mission.
• Mission Specialist: David M. Brown, a US Navy captain trained as an aviator and flight surgeon. Brown worked on a number of scientific experiments.
• Mission Specialist: Laurel Clark, a US Navy captain and flight surgeon. Clark worked on a number of biological experiments.

Image File history File links Download high resolution version (4096x3277, 3630 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (4096x3277, 3630 KB) File links The following pages on the English Wikipedia link to this file (pages on other projects are not listed): STS-107 Space Shuttle Columbia disaster ... The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ... Rick D. Husband (larger image) Richard Douglas Husband (July 12, 1957 – February 1, 2003) was an astronaut and the space shuttle commander of STS-107 (Columbia) who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earths atmosphere. ... USAF redirects here. ... For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ... Mechanical Engineering is an engineering discipline that involves the application of principles of physics for analysis, design, manufacturing, and maintenance of mechanical systems. ... ISS redirects here. ... STS-96 was a mission of the United States Space Shuttle Discovery. ... William C. McCool William Cameron Willie McCool (September 23, 1961 – February 1, 2003) was an United States Navy Commander, NASA astronaut and the Space Shuttle pilot of Columbia mission STS-107 who was killed when the craft disintegrated after re-entry into the Earths atmosphere. ... USN redirects here. ... Commander is a military rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. ... Michael P. Anderson Michael Phillip Anderson (December 25, 1959 – February 1, 2003) was a Lieutenant Colonel (USAF), a NASA astronaut and the Space Shuttle payload commander of STS-107 (Columbia) who was killed when the craft disintegrated after reentry into the Earths atmosphere. ... USAF redirects here. ... For other uses, see Colonel (disambiguation). ... Not to be confused with physician, a person who practices medicine. ... Ilan Ramon (Hebrew: אילן רמון) (June 20, 1954 – February 1, 2003) was a combat pilot in the Israeli Air Force and later the first Israeli astronaut. ... The Israeli Air Force (IAF; Hebrew: זרוע האויר והחלל, Zroa HaAvir VeHaḤalal, Air and Space Division, commonly known as חיל האוויר Hel HaAvir) is the air force of the Israel Defense Forces. ... Kalpana Chawla (Hindi: कल्‍पना चावला)(Punjabi:ਕਲਪਨਾ ਚਾਵਲਾ) (7 March 1962 – 1 February 2003), was an Indian-American astronaut and space shuttle mission specialist. ... Aerospace engineering is the branch of engineering that concerns the design, construction and science behind aircraft and spacecraft. ... David M. Brown David M. Brown (April 16, 1956 – February 1, 2003) was a United States Naval Captain, NASA astronaut and space shuttle mission specialist. ... USN redirects here. ... For other uses, see Captain (disambiguation). ... A flight surgeon is a specialized medical officer in the military, typically the air force. ... Laurel Clark Laurel Blair Salton Clark (March 10, 1961 – February 1, 2003) was a medical doctor, United States Navy Captain, NASA astronaut and Space Shuttle mission specialist of STS-107 (Columbia) who was killed when the craft disintegrated after re-entry into the Earths atmosphere. ... USN redirects here. ...

Debris strike during launch

Columbia lifting off on its final mission. The light-colored triangle visible at the base of the strut is the Left Bipod Foam Ramp. Video

Mission STS-107 was the 113th Space Shuttle launch. It had been delayed 18 times over the two years from its original launch date of 11 January 2001 to its actual launch date of 16 January 2003. A well-publicized launch delay due to cracks in the shuttle's propellant distribution system occurred one month before a 19 July 2002 launch date, but the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) determined that this delay had nothing to do with the catastrophic failure six months later. Image File history File links Download high resolution version (650x964, 144 KB)Description: A close-up camera view shows Space Shuttle Columbia as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-107. ... Image File history File links Download high resolution version (650x964, 144 KB)Description: A close-up camera view shows Space Shuttle Columbia as it lifts off from Launch Pad 39A on mission STS-107. ... The STS-107 crewmembers strike a ‘flying’ pose for their traditional in-flight crew portrait in the SPACEHAB aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia. ... is the 11th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... is the 16th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 200th day of the year (201st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Memorial emblem for the three U.S. human space flight accidents. ...

The Left Bipod Foam Ramp is an approximately three-foot (one-meter) piece made entirely of foam, as opposed to being a metal ramp that is merely coated with foam. As such, the foam, not normally considered to be a structural material, is required to bear some aerodynamic loads. Because of these special requirements, the casting-in-place and curing of the ramps may be performed only by a senior technician.^[3] The shuttle's main fuel tank is covered in foam as an insulator, to avoid ice forming on it when full of liquid hydrogen and oxygen, which itself could damage the shuttle when shed during lift-off. A Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) on its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building. ... Liquid hydrogen is the liquid state of the element hydrogen. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Bipod Ramp insulation had been observed falling off, in whole or in part, on many previous flights- STS-7 (1983), STS-27 (1988), STS-32 (1990), STS-50 (1992), plus subsequent flights (STS-52 and -62) showing partial losses. In addition, Protuberance Air Load (PAL) foam has also shed pieces, plus spot losses from large-area foams. At least one previous strike caused no serious damage. NASA management came to refer to this phenomenon as "foam shedding." As with the O-ring erosions that ultimately doomed the Challenger, NASA management became accustomed to these phenomena when no serious consequences resulted from these earlier episodes. This phenomenon was termed "normalization of deviance" by sociologist Diane Vaughan in her book on the Challenger launch decision process.^[4] STS-7 was a space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Challenger, launched June 18, 1983. ... STS-27 was a space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Atlantis. ... STS-32 was the 33rd launch of the Space Shuttle and the 9th launch of Space Shuttle Columbia. ... STS-50 (U.S. Microgravity Laboratory 1) was a United States Space Shuttle mission, the 12th mission of the Columbia orbiter. ... // Crew James B. Wetherbee (2), Commander Michael A. Baker (2), Pilot Charles L. Veach (2), Mission Specialist 1 William M. Shepherd (3), Mission Specialist 2 Tamara E. Jernigan (2), Mission Specialist 3 Steven G. MacLean (1), Payload Specialist 1 - Canada Mission parameters Mass: Orbiter landing with payload: 97,201 kg... STS-62 is a Space Shuttle program mission. ... A view of Space Shuttle Challenger shortly before launch. ...

Video taken during lift-off of STS-107 was routinely reviewed two hours later and revealed nothing unusual. The following day, higher-resolution film that had been processed overnight revealed that a piece of insulation foam fell from the external fuel tank 81.9 seconds into the launch sequence and appeared to strike the shuttle's left wing, potentially damaging the thermal protection on the Space Shuttle. The exact location where the foam struck the wing could not be determined due to the low resolution of the tracking camera footage. Thermal insulation on the Huygens probe The term thermal insulation can refer to materials used to reduce the rate of heat transfer, or the methods and processes used to reduce heat transfer. ...

Flight risk management

Close-up of the Left Bipod Foam Ramp that broke off and damaged the Shuttle wing.

In a risk-management scenario similar to the Challenger disaster, NASA management failed to recognize the relevance of engineering concerns for safety. Two examples of this were failure to honor engineer requests for imaging to inspect possible damage, and failure to respond to engineer requests about status of astronaut inspection of the left wing. Engineering made three separate requests for Department of Defense (DOD) imaging of the shuttle in orbit to more precisely determine damage. While the images were not guaranteed to show the damage, the capability existed for imaging of sufficient resolution to provide meaningful examination. In fact, the CAIB recommended subsequent shuttle flights be imaged while in orbit using ground-based or space-based Department of Defense assets.^[5] NASA management did not honor the requests and in some cases intervened to stop the DOD from assisting. The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ... The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ...

NASA's chief thermal protection system (TPS) engineer was concerned about left wing TPS damage and asked NASA management whether an astronaut would visually inspect it. NASA managers never responded. The space shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) is the barrier that protects the space shuttle orbiter during the searing 1649 °C (3000 °F) heat of atmospheric reentry. ...

Throughout the risk assessment process, senior NASA managers were influenced by their belief that nothing could be done even if damage was detected, hence this affected their stance on investigation urgency, thoroughness and possible contingency actions. They decided to conduct a parametric "what-if" scenario study more suited to determine risk probabilities of future events, instead of inspecting and assessing the actual damage. The investigation report in particular singled out NASA manager Linda Ham for exhibiting this attitude.^[6] Linda Ham addresses the Columbia Accident Investigation Board following the loss of Space Shuttle Columbia on February 1, 2003. ...

Much of the risk assessment hinged on damage predictions to the thermal protection system. These fall into two categories: damage to the silica tile on the wing lower surface, and damage to the reinforced carbon-carbon (RCC) leading-edge panels. Mock-up of a space shuttle leading edge, showing brittle failure of RCC due to foam impact reproducing the conditions of Columbias final launch. ...

Damage-prediction software, known as "Crater", was used to evaluate possible tile and RCC damage. The software predicted severe penetration of multiple tiles by the impact, but engineers downplayed this, believing that results showing that the software overstated damage from small projectiles meant that the same would be true of larger Spray-On Foam Insulation (SOFI) impacts. The program used to predict RCC damage was based on small ice impacts the size of cigarette butts, not larger SOFI impacts. Under 1 of 15 predicted SOFI impact paths, the software predicted an ice impact would completely penetrate the RCC panel. Engineers downplayed this, too, believing that impacts of the less dense SOFI material would result in less damage than ice impacts. In an e-mail exchange, NASA managers questioned whether the density of the SOFI could be used as justification for reducing predicted damage. Despite engineering concerns about the energy imparted by the SOFI material, NASA managers ultimately accepted the rationale to reduce predicted damage of the RCC panels from complete penetration to slight damage to the panel's thin coating.^[7]

NASA managers felt a rescue or repair was impossible, so there was no point in trying to inspect the vehicle for damage while on orbit. However, the CAIB determined either a rescue mission or on-orbit repair, though risky, might have been possible had NASA verified severe damage within five days into the mission.^[8][9]

Ultimately the NASA Mission Management Team felt there was insufficient evidence to indicate that the strike was an unsafe situation, so they declared the debris strike a "turnaround" issue (not of highest importance) and denied the requests for the Department of Defense images. The United States Department of Defense (DOD or DoD) is the federal department charged with coordinating and supervising all agencies and functions of the government relating directly to national security and the military. ...

Destruction during re-entry

The following is a timeline of Columbia's re-entry. The shuttle was scheduled to land at 9:16 a.m. EST.

• 2:30 a.m. EST, Saturday, February 1, 2003 – The Entry Flight Control Team began duty in the Mission Control Center.

  The Flight Control Team had not been working on any issues or problems related to the planned de-orbit and re-entry of Columbia. In particular, the team had indicated no concerns about the debris impact to the left wing during ascent, and treated the re-entry like any other. The team worked through the de-orbit preparation checklist and re-entry checklist procedures. Weather forecasters, with the help of pilots in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, evaluated landing-site weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center.

• 8:00 – Mission Control Center Entry Flight Director Leroy Cain polled the Mission Control room for a GO/NO-GO decision for the de-orbit burn.

  All weather observations and forecasts were within guidelines set by the flight rules, and all systems were normal.

• 8:10 – The Capsule Communicator notified the crew that they are GO for de-orbit burn.
• 8:15:30 (EI-1719) – Commander Husband and Pilot McCool executed the de-orbit burn using Columbia’s two Orbital Maneuvering System engines.

  The Orbiter was upside down and tail-first over the Indian Ocean at an altitude of 175 statute miles (282 km) when the burn was executed. The de-orbit maneuver was performed on the 255th orbit, and the 2-minute, 38-second burn slowed the Orbiter from 17,500 mph (7.8 km/s) to begin its re-entry into the atmosphere. During the de-orbit burn, the crew felt about 10% of the effects of gravity. There were no problems during the burn, after which Husband maneuvered Columbia into a right-side-up, forward-facing position, with the Orbiter's nose pitched up.

• 8:44:09 (EI+000) – Entry Interface (EI), arbitrarily defined as the point at which the Orbiter enters the discernible atmosphere at 400,000 feet (120 km or 76 mi), occurred over the Pacific Ocean.

  As Columbia descended from space into the atmosphere, the heat produced by air molecules colliding with the Orbiter typically caused wing leading-edge temperatures to rise steadily, reaching an estimated 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1,400 °C) during the next six minutes.

• 8:48:39 (EI+270) – A sensor on the left wing leading edge spar showed strains higher than those seen on previous Columbia re-entries.

  This was recorded only on the Modular Auxiliary Data System, and was not telemetered to ground controllers or displayed to the crew.

• 8:49:32 (EI+323) – Columbia executed a pre-planned roll to the right. Speed: Mach 24.5.

  Columbia began a banking turn to manage lift and therefore limit the Orbiter's rate of descent and heating.

• 8:50:53 (EI+404) – Columbia entered a 10-minute period of peak heating, during which the thermal stresses were at their maximum. Speed: Mach 24.1; altitude: 243,000 feet (74 km).

Columbia at approximately 0857. Debris is visible coming off from the left wing (bottom).

• 8:52:00 (EI+471) – Columbia was approximately 300 miles (500 km) west of the California coastline.

  The wing leading-edge temperatures usually reached 2,650 degrees Fahrenheit (1,450 °C) at this point.

• 8:53:26 (EI+557) – Columbia crossed the California coast west of Sacramento. Speed: Mach 23; altitude: 231,600 feet (70.6 km).

Columbia debris (in red, orange, and yellow) detected by National Weather Service radar over Texas and Louisiana.

A makeshift memorial at the main entrance to the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas

• The Orbiter's wing leading edge typically reached more than 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1,540 °C) at this point.

• 8:53:46 (EI+597) – Signs of debris being shed were sighted. Speed: Mach 22.8; altitude: 230,200 feet (70.2 km).

  The superheated air surrounding the Orbiter suddenly brightened, causing a noticeable streak in the Orbiter's luminescent trail. Observers witnessed another four similar events during the following 23 seconds.

• 8:54:24 (EI+613) – The Maintenance, Mechanical, and Crew Systems (MMACS) officer informed the Flight Director that four hydraulic sensors in the left wing were indicating "off-scale low." In Mission Control, re-entry had been proceeding normally up to this point.

  "Off-scale low" is a reading that falls below the minimum capability of the sensor.

  The Entry Team continued to discuss the failed indicators.

• 8:54:25 (EI+614) – Columbia crossed from California into Nevada airspace. Speed: Mach 22.5; altitude: 227,400 feet (69.3 km).

  Witnesses observed a bright flash at this point and 18 similar events in the next four minutes.

• 8:55:00 (EI+651) – Nearly 11 minutes after Columbia re-entered the atmosphere, wing leading-edge temperatures normally reached nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1,650 °C).
• 8:55:32 (EI+683) – Columbia crossed from Nevada into Utah. Speed: Mach 21.8; altitude: 223,400 ft (68 km).
• 8:55:52 (EI+703) – Columbia crossed from Utah into Arizona.
• 8:56:30 (EI+741) – Columbia initiated a roll reversal, turning from right to left over Arizona.
• 8:56:45 (EI+756) – Columbia crossed from Arizona to New Mexico. Speed: Mach 20.9; altitude: 219,000 feet (67,000 m).
• 8:57:24 (EI+795) – Columbia crossed just north of Albuquerque.
• 8:58:00 (EI+831) – At this point, wing leading-edge temperatures typically decreased to 2,880 degrees Fahrenheit (1,580 °C).
• 8:58:20 (EI+851) – Columbia crossed from New Mexico into Texas. Speed: Mach 19.5; altitude: 209,800 feet (64 km).

  At about this time, the Orbiter shed a Thermal Protection System tile, the most westerly piece of debris that has been recovered. Searchers found the tile in a field in Littlefield, Texas, just northwest of Lubbock.

• 8:59:15 (EI+906) – MMACS informed the Flight Director that pressure readings had been lost on both left main landing-gear tires. The Flight Director then told the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) to let the crew know that Mission Control saw the messages and was evaluating the indications, and added that the Flight Control Team did not understand the crew's last transmission.
• 8:59:32 (EI+923) – A broken response from the mission commander was recorded: "Roger, uh, bu - [cut off in mid-word] ..." It was the last communication from the crew and the last telemetry signal received in Mission Control.
• 9:00:18 (EI+969) – Videos made by observers on the ground revealed that the Orbiter was disintegrating. In Mission Control, while the loss of signal was a cause for concern, there was no sign of any serious problem.
• 9:05 – Residents of north central Texas reported a loud boom, a small concussion wave, smoke trails and debris in the clear skies above the counties southeast of Dallas.
• 9:12:39 (EI+1710) – After hearing of reports of the shuttle being seen to break apart, the NASA flight director declared a contingency (events leading to loss of the vehicle) and alerted search and rescue teams in the debris area. He told the Ground Controller to "lock the doors", and two minutes later put Mission Control contingency procedures into effect. Nobody was permitted to enter or leave the room, and flight controllers had to preserve all the mission data for later investigation.^[10]

is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Mission Control Center (MCC) is a unit that manages aerospace flights. ... The Shuttle Training Aircraft positioned in a downward trajectory like the Space Shuttle. ... “Miles” redirects here. ... Gravity is a force of attraction that acts between bodies that have mass. ... An F/A-18 Hornet breaking the sound barrier. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... Wikipedia does not have an article with this exact name. ... The National Weather Service (NWS) is one of the six scientific agencies that make up the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) of the United States government. ... For other uses, see Texas (disambiguation). ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Description: In memory of the Space Shuttle Columbia crewmembers who lost their lives on February 1, 2003, a massive collection of flowers, balloons, flags, signs, and other arrangements were placed at the Johnson Space Center sign at the Centers main entrance. ... Description: In memory of the Space Shuttle Columbia crewmembers who lost their lives on February 1, 2003, a massive collection of flowers, balloons, flags, signs, and other arrangements were placed at the Johnson Space Center sign at the Centers main entrance. ... Houston redirects here. ... Littlefield is a city located in Lamb County, Texas. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ... Flight controller: a space flight control room position at NASAs Mission Control Center. ...

Response from the President

At 14:04 EST (19:04 UTC), President George W. Bush addressed the United States: "This day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country... The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors." Despite the disaster, the President assured Americans that the space program would continue: "The cause in which they died will continue. Our journey into space will go on."^[11] George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ...

Recovery of debris

More than 2,000 debris fields, including human remains, were found in sparsely populated areas southeast of Dallas from Nacogdoches in East Texas, where a large amount of debris fell, to western Louisiana and the southwestern counties of Arkansas. NASA issued warnings to the public that any debris could contain hazardous chemicals, that it should be left untouched, its location reported to local emergency services or government authorities, and that anyone in unauthorized possession of debris would be prosecuted. Because of the widespread area, volunteer amateur radio operators accompanied the search teams to provide communications support.^[12] Nacogdoches (pronounced ) is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. ... Red counties show the core of East Texas; pink and red counties may or may not be included in East Texas, and thus their inclusion varies from source to source. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... This article is about the U.S. State. ... Emergency services are services that deal with emergencies and other aspects of Public Safety. ... Amateur radio station with modern solid-state transceiver featuring LCD and DSP capabilities Amateur radio, often called ham radio, is both a hobby and a service that uses various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation and self-training. ...

A group of small (1 mm adult) Caenorhabditis elegans worms, living in petri dishes enclosed in aluminium canisters, survived re-entry and impact with the ground and were recovered weeks after the disaster.^[13][14] The culture was verified as still alive on April 28, 2003.^[15] They were part of a Biological Research in Canisters experiment (Principal investigator: Catharine A. Conley^[16] of NASA Ames Research Center) designed to study the effect of weightlessness on physiology. Binomial name Maupas, 1900 Caenorhabditis elegans (IPA: ) is a free-living nematode (roundworm), about 1 mm in length, which lives in temperate soil environments. ... Man looking at fungus inside of petri dishes A Petri dish is a shallow glass or plastic cylindrical dish that biologists use to culture microbes. ... Aluminum redirects here. ... is the 118th day of the year (119th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Aerial View of Moffett Field and NASA Ames Research Center. ...

Debris Search Pilot Jules F. Mier Jr. and Debris Search Aviation Specialist Charles Krenek died in a helicopter crash that injured three others while they were contributing to the ground search effort.^[17]

Some Texas residents recovered some of the debris, ignoring the warnings, and attempted to sell it on the online auction site eBay, starting at $10,000. The auction was quickly removed, but auctions for Columbia merchandise such as programs, photographs and patches, went up dramatically in value immediately following the disaster, creating a surge of Columbia-related listings.^[18] The online auction business model is one in which participants bid for products and services over the Internet. ... This article is about the online auction center. ...

Onboard video

The glow of reentry as seen out the front windows.

One item recovered from the debris field was a videotape recording made by the astronauts during the start of re-entry. The video recording lasts for thirteen minutes and shows the flight crew astronauts conducting routine re-entry procedures and joking with each other, none of them giving any indication of a problem. The video shows the flight-deck crew putting on their gloves and passing the video camera around in order to take footage of plasma and flames visible outside the windows of the orbiter, and ends approximately four minutes prior to the start of the shuttle's disintegration. On normal flights, the recording would have continued through landing. According to the online introduction given by Scott Altman, the remainder of the tape was destroyed in the accident. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Scott D. Altman Scott D. Altman (born 15 August 1959) is an NASA astronaut, United States Navy Captain, and veteran of three space shuttle missions. ...

Initial investigation

NASA Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore reported that "The first indication was loss of temperature sensors and hydraulic systems on the left wing. They were followed seconds and minutes later by several other problems, including loss of tire pressure indications on the left main gear and then indications of excessive structural heating".^[19] Analysis of 31 seconds of telemetry data which had initially been filtered out because of data corruption within it showed the shuttle fighting to maintain its orientation, eventually using maximum thrust from its Reaction Control System jets. Ron D. Dittemore (born April 13, 1952, Cooperstown, New York) former shuttle program manager of NASA, is currently the president of ATK Thiokol Propulsion. ...

The investigation focused on the foam strike from the very beginning. Incidents of debris strikes from ice and foam causing damage during take-off were already well known, and had actually damaged orbiters, most noticeably during STS-45, STS-27, and STS-87.^[20] Tile damage had also been traced to ablating insulating material from the cryogenic fuel tank in the past. The composition of the foam insulation had been changed in 1997 to exclude the use of freon, a chemical that is suspected to cause ozone depletion; while NASA was exempted from legislation phasing out CFCs, the agency chose to change the foam nonetheless. This led to many accusations of environmental pressures leading to the foam strikes. STS-107 used an older "lightweight tank" where the foam was sprayed on to the larger cylindrical surfaces using the newer no freon foam. However, the bipods were manufactured from BX-250 foam which was excluded from the EPA regulations and did use the original freon formula. The composition change did not contribute to the accident.^[21] In any case, the original formulation had shown frequent foam losses, as described above. // Crew Charles F. Bolden, (flew on STS-61-C, STS-31, STS-45 & STS-60), Commander Brian Duffy (flew on STS-45, STS-57, STS-72 & STS-92), Pilot Kathryn D. Sullivan (flew on STS-41-G, STS-31 & STS-45), Payload Commander David C. Leestma (flew on STS-41... STS-27 was a space shuttle mission by NASA using the Space Shuttle Atlantis. ... This was a mission of the United States Space Shuttle. ... Tetrafluoroethane (a haloalkane) is a clear liquid which boils well below room temperature (as seen here) and can be extracted from common canned air canisters by simply inverting them during use. ... Global monthly average total ozone amount Ozone depletion describes two distinct, but related observations: a slow, steady decline of about 4 percent per decade in the total amount of ozone in Earths stratosphere since around 1980; and a much larger, but seasonal, decrease in stratospheric ozone over Earths... Tetrafluoroethane (a haloalkane) is a clear liquid which boils well below room temperature (as seen here) and can be extracted from common canned air canisters by simply inverting them during use. ...

Possible emergency procedures

Hypothetical rescue scenario with Atlantis below Columbia.^[9]

Hypothesized rescue EVA.^[9]

The CAIB determined a rescue mission, though risky, might have been possible provided NASA management took action soon enough.^[8][9] The CAIB determined that had NASA management acted in time, two possible contingency procedures were available: a rescue mission by shuttle Atlantis, and an emergency spacewalk to attempt repairs to the left wing thermal protection. Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-104) is one of the fleet of space shuttles belonging to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ... Space Shuttle Orbiter Atlantis (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-104) is one of the fleet of space shuttles belonging to the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA). ... Astronaut Bruce McCandless on an untethered EVA Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth and outside of his or her spacecraft. ...

Rescue

Normally a rescue mission is not possible, due to the time required to prepare a shuttle for launch, and the limited consumables (power, water, air) of an orbiting shuttle. However, Atlantis was well along in processing for a March 1 launch, and Columbia carried an unusually large quantity of consumables due to an Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) package. The CAIB determined that this would have allowed Columbia to stay in orbit until flight day 30 (February 15). NASA investigators determined that Atlantis processing could have been expedited with no skipped safety checks for a February 10 launch. Hence if nothing went wrong there was a five day overlap for a possible rescue. is the 60th day of the year (61st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 46th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 41st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Repair

NASA investigators determined on-orbit repair by the shuttle astronauts was possible but risky, primarily due to the uncertain resiliency of the repair using available materials.^[8][9]

Columbia did not carry the Canadarm, or Remote Manipulator System, which would normally be used for camera inspection or transporting a spacewalking astronaut to the wing. Therefore an unusual emergency EVA would have been required. While there was no astronaut EVA training for maneuvering to the wing, astronauts are always prepared for a similarly difficult emergency EVA – to close the external tank umbilical doors located on the orbiter underside. During launch these doors are open for the propellant feed lines from the external tank to supply the main engines in the orbiter tail. If they fail to close after jettisoning the external tank, it constitutes a thermal protection breach which would destroy the orbiter upon re-entry. This requires an emergency EVA to close them manually. Similar methods could have reached the shuttle left wing for inspection or repair. The Remote Manipulator System (RMS) on the Space Shuttle, also known as the Canadarm, is an electromechanical arm that maneuvers a payload from the payload bay of the space shuttle orbiter to its deployment position and then releases it. ... View of the Canadarm during a Space Shuttle mission The Remote Manipulator System (RMS) on the Space Shuttle, also known as the Canadarm, is an electromechanical arm that maneuvers a payload from the payload bay of the space shuttle orbiter to its deployment position and then releases it. ... Astronaut Bruce McCandless on an untethered EVA Extra-vehicular activity (EVA) is work done by an astronaut away from the Earth and outside of his or her spacecraft. ...

For the repair, the CAIB determined the astronauts would have to use tools and small pieces of titanium, or other metal, scavenged from the crew cabin. These heavy metals would help protect the wing structure and would be held in place during re-entry by a water-filled bag that had turned into ice in the cold of space. The ice and metal would help restore wing leading edge geometry, preventing a turbulent airflow over the wing and therefore keeping heating and burn-through levels low enough for the crew to survive re-entry and bail out before landing. Because the NASA team could not verify that the repairs would survive even a modified re-entry, the rescue option had a considerably higher chance of bringing Columbia's crew back alive.

Columbia Accident Investigation Board

Main article: Columbia Accident Investigation Board

Grid on the floor of the Reusable Launch Vehicle Hangar where workers in the field bring in pieces of Columbia's debris. The Columbia Reconstruction Project Team attempted to reconstruct the bottom of the orbiter as part of the investigation into the accident.

A mock-up of a space shuttle leading edge made with an RCC-panel taken from Discovery. Reproduction of the conditions of the foam impact on Columbia's final launch, showed brittle failure of RCC.

Following protocols established after the loss of Challenger, an independent investigating board was created immediately following the accident. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board, or CAIB, consisted of expert military and civilian analysts who investigated the accident in great detail. Memorial emblem for the three U.S. human space flight accidents. ... Image File history File links Impact-test. ... Image File history File links Impact-test. ... This article is about the space vehicle. ... Mock-up of a space shuttle leading edge, showing brittle failure of RCC due to foam impact reproducing the conditions of Columbias final launch. ... Space Shuttle Discovery (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-103) is one of the three currently operational spacecraft in the Space Shuttle fleet of NASA, the space agency of the United States. ... Space Shuttle Columbia (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first spaceworthy space shuttle in NASAs orbital fleet. ... A material is brittle if it is subject to fracture when subjected to stress i. ... Failure mode The Manner by whick a failure is observed; it generally describes the way the failure occurs and its impact on equipment operation. ... Space Shuttle Challenger (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was NASAs second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia being the first. ...

Columbia's flight data recorder was found near Hemphill, Texas on March 20, 2003. Unlike commercial jet aircraft, the space shuttles do not have flight data recorders intended for after-crash analysis. Rather the vehicle data is transmitted in real time to the ground via telemetry. However, since Columbia was the first shuttle, it had a special flight data OEX (Orbiter EXperiments) recorder, designed to help engineers better understand vehicle performance during the first test flights. After the initial Shuttle test-flights were completed, the recorder was never removed from Columbia and was still functioning on the crashed flight. It records many hundreds of different parameters and contained very extensive logs of structural and other data which allowed the CAIB to reconstruct many of the events during the process leading to breakup. Investigators could often use the loss of signals from sensors on the wing to track how the damage progressed. This was correlated with forensic debris analysis conducted at Lehigh University and other tests to obtain a final conclusion about the probable events. Hemphill is a city located in Sabine County, Texas. ... is the 79th day of the year (80th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Telemetry is a technology that allows the remote measurement and reporting of information of interest to the system designer or operator. ... The factual accuracy of this article is disputed. ... Lehigh University is a private, co-educational university located in Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, in the Lehigh Valley region of the United States. ...

On July 7, 2003 foam impact tests were performed by Southwest Research Institute, which used a foam block of similar size, mass and speed to that which struck Columbia. It created a hole 41 cm by 42.5 cm (16.1 inches by 16.7 inches) in the protective RCC panel.^[22] The tests clearly demonstrated that a foam impact of the type Columbia sustained could seriously breach the protective RCC panels on the wing leading edge.^[23] is the 188th day of the year (189th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Southwest Research Institute (SwRI) is an independent, nonprofit applied research and development organization. ... Mock-up of a space shuttle leading edge, showing brittle failure of RCC due to foam impact reproducing the conditions of Columbias final launch. ...

On August 26, the CAIB issued its report on the accident. The report confirmed the immediate cause of the accident was a breach in the leading edge of the left wing, caused by insulating foam shed during launch. The report also delved deeply into the underlying organizational and cultural issues that led to the accident. The report was highly critical of NASA's decision-making and risk-assessment processes. It concluded the organizational structure and processes were sufficiently flawed that compromise of safety was expected no matter who was in the key decision-making positions. An example was the position of Shuttle Program Manager, where one individual was responsible for achieving safe, timely launches and acceptable costs, which are often conflicting goals. The CAIB report found that NASA had accepted deviations from design criteria as normal when they happened on several flights and did not lead to fatal consequences. One of those was the conflict between a design specification stating the thermal protection system was not designed to withstand significant impact damage and the common occurrence of impact damage to it during flight. The board made recommendations for significant changes in processes and culture. is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The space shuttle thermal protection system (TPS) is the barrier that protects the space shuttle orbiter during the searing 1649 °C (3000 °F) heat of atmospheric reentry. ...

Miscellaneous items

Fears of terrorism

Despite some initial fears after announcement in the news that Columbia suffered explosion over Palestine, Texas and that the addition of the first Israeli astronaut to the crew had made the Columbia a more likely target for terrorists, there is no evidence to support any theory that terrorism was involved. In any case, security surrounding the launch and landing of the space shuttle had been increased to ward off any potential terrorist attack.^[24] The Merritt Island launch facility, like all sensitive government areas, had increased security measures put in place in the wake of the September 11 attack. Gordon Johndroe, spokesman for the United States Department of Homeland Security, stated: "There is no information at this time that this was a terrorist incident." For other uses, see Astronaut (disambiguation). ... Terrorist redirects here. ... Merritt Island is: An island (strictly, part of a peninsula) in Brevard County, Florida, on Floridas Atlantic coast a town located on the island Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge, also located on the island The island Merritt Island is not strictly an island at all, but part of a... A sequential look at United Flight 175 crashing into the south tower of the World Trade Center The September 11, 2001 attacks (often referred to as 9/11—pronounced nine eleven or nine one one) consisted of a series of coordinated terrorist[1] suicide attacks upon the United States, predominantly... DHS redirects here. ...

"Purple streak" image

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that an amateur astronomer had taken a five-second exposure that appeared to show "a purplish line near the shuttle" during re-entry.^[25] The CAIB report concluded that image was the result of "camera vibrations during a long-exposure".^[26] Todays San Francisco Chronicle was founded in 1865 as The Daily Dramatic Chronicle by teenage brothers Charles de Young and Michael H. de Young. ...

Relation to Armageddon

There was a hoax involving the destruction of Columbia. Some images that were purported to be satellite photographs of shuttle's explosion turned out to be screen captures from the opening scene of the 1998 science fiction film Armageddon, where the shuttle Atlantis is destroyed by asteroid fragments.^[27] In reality, Columbia disintegrated rather than exploded. In response to the disaster, FX pulled Armageddon from that night's schedule. It was replaced with Aliens instead. ^[28] Several commercials as well as a re-run of a Simpsons episode were also pulled. This article or section contains a plot summary that is overly long or excessively detailed compared to the rest of the article. ... FX (for Fox eXtended Networks) is the name of a number of related subscription TV channels owned by News Corporations Fox Entertainment Group. ... Aliens is a 1986 science fiction movie directed by James Cameron and starring Sigourney Weaver, Michael Biehn, Lance Henriksen, Carrie Henn, Bill Paxton and Paul Reiser. ... Simpsons redirects here. ...

Memorials

Wikinews has related news:

NASA holds ceremony to commemorate anniversary of Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

On February 4, 2003, President George Bush and his wife Laura led a memorial service for the astronauts' families at the Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center. Two days later, Vice President Dick Cheney and his wife Lynne led official Washington and the rest of the nation in paying tribute at a similar service at Washington National Cathedral. During that service, singer Patti LaBelle sang "Way up There".^[29] Image File history File links WikiNews-Logo. ... Wikinews is a free-content news source and a project of the Wikimedia Foundation. ... is the 35th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the forty-third and current President of the United States of America, originally inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States George W. Bush and is thereby the First Lady of the United States. ... An aerial view of the Johnson Space Center facility of Houston in 1989 The Lyndon B. Johnson Space Center (JSC) is the National Aeronautics and Space Administrations center for human spaceflight activities. ... Richard Bruce Dick Cheney (born January 30, 1941), is the 46th and current Vice President of the United States, serving under President George W. Bush. ... Lynne Ann Vincent Cheney (born August 14, 1941) , is a novelist, conservative scholar, and former talk-show host who is the wife of Vice President Dick Cheney. ... Washington National Cathedral has been the site of three presidential state funerals: for Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ronald W. Reagan, Gerald R. Ford and a presidential burial for Woodrow Wilson and a memorial service for Harry Truman. ... Patti LaBelle (born May 24, 1944) is an American R&B, soul singer and songwriter. ...

Columbia Memorial on Mars

On March 26 the United States House of Representatives' Science Committee approved funds for the construction of a memorial at Arlington National Cemetery for the STS-107 crew. A similar memorial was built at the cemetery for the last crew of Space Shuttle Challenger. On October 28, 2003, the names of the astronauts were added to the Space Mirror Memorial at the Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex. Download high resolution version (500x612, 101 KB)A memorial plaque mounted on the back of the high gain antenna on the Mars rover Spirit. ... Download high resolution version (500x612, 101 KB)A memorial plaque mounted on the back of the high gain antenna on the Mars rover Spirit. ... March 26 is the 85th day of the year (86th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Type Bicameral Speaker of the House of Representatives House Majority Leader Nancy Pelosi, (D) since January 4, 2007 Steny Hoyer, (D) since January 4, 2007 House Minority Leader John Boehner, (R) since January 4, 2007 Members 435 plus 4 Delegates and 1 Resident Commissioner Political groups Democratic Party Republican Party... This article or section does not cite any references or sources. ... Space Shuttle Challenger (NASA Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-099) was NASAs second Space Shuttle orbiter to be put into service, Columbia being the first. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Space Mirror The Space Mirror Memorial, also known as the Astronaut Memorial, is a memorial on the grounds of the John F. Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex in Merritt Island, Florida. ... The Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex is located at Kennedy Space Center and is where you can go as a tourist. ...

The Houston Astros, who reside in the same city as Johnson Space Center and whose team name honors the U.S. space program, honored the crew on 1 April 2003, the Opening Day of the season, by having seven simultaneous first pitches thrown by family and friends of the Columbia crew. For the National Anthem, 107 NASA personnel, including flight controllers and others involved in Columbia’s final mission, carried a U.S. flag onto the field. In addition, the Astros wore the mission patch on their sleeves and replaced all dugout advertising with the mission patch logo for the entire season.^[30] Major league affiliations National League (1962–present) Central Division (1994–present) Current uniform Retired Numbers 5, 24, 25, 32, 33, 34, 40, 42, 49 Name Houston Astros (1965–present) Houston Colt . ... is the 91st day of the year (92nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Opening Day is warmly regarded in North American tradition as the beginning of a new Major League Baseball season. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... The Star-Spangled Banner is the national anthem of the United States. ...

NASA named several places in honor of Columbia and her crew. Seven asteroids discovered in July 2001 at the Mount Palomar observatory were officially given the names of the seven astronauts: 51823 Rickhusband, 51824 Mikeanderson, 51825 Davidbrown, 51826 Kalpanachawla, 51827 Laurelclark, 51828 Ilanramon, 51829 Williemccool.^[31] On Mars, the landing site of the rover Spirit was named Columbia Memorial Station, and included a memorial plaque to the Columbia crew mounted on the back of its high gain antenna. A complex of seven hills east of the Spirit landing site was dubbed the Columbia Hills; each of the seven hills was individually named for a member of the crew, and Husband Hill in particular was ascended and explored by the rover. Back on Earth, NASA's National Scientific Balloon Facility was renamed the Columbia Scientific Balloon Facility. For other uses, see Asteroid (disambiguation). ... Palomar Observatory is a privately-owned observatory located in San Diego County, California, 90 miles (145 km) southeast of Mount Wilson Observatory, on Palomar Mountain. ... 51823 Rickhusband (2001 OY28) is an asteroid named for astronaut Rick Husband, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... 51824 Mikeanderson (2001 OE30) is an asteroid named for astronaut Mike Anderson, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... 51825 Davidbrown (2001 OQ33) is an asteroid named for astronaut David Brown, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... 51826 Kalpanachawla (2001 OB34) is an asteroid named for astronaut Kalpana Chawla, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... 51827 Laurelclark (2001 OH38) is an asteroid named for astronaut Laurel Clark, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... 51828 Ilanramon (2001 OU39) is an asteroid named for astronaut Ilan Ramon, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... 51829 Williemccool (2001 OD41) is an asteroid named for astronaut Willie McCool, who was killed in the STS-107 (Columbia) space shuttle reentry disaster on February 1, 2003. ... Adjectives: Martian Atmosphere Surface pressure: 0. ... Artists Concept of Rover on Mars NASAs Mars Exploration Rover (MER) Mission (since 2003) is a unmanned Mars exploration mission that includes sending two Rovers (robots) to explore the Martian surface and geology. ... MER-A (Spirit) is the first of the two Mars Exploration Rover Missions. ... Husband Hill is one of the Columbia Hills in Gusev crater, Mars. ... The National Scientific Balloon Facilty (NSBF) (established 1961) is a NASA facilty responsible for deploying and recovering scientific high altitude balloons for NASA centers and Universities. ... The Columbia Scientific Balloon Facilty (CSBF) (established 1961, formerly known as the National Scientific Balloon Facility (NSBF)) is a NASA facilty responsible for deploying and recovering scientific high altitude balloons for NASA centers and Universities. ...

Other tributes included the decision by Amarillo, Texas to rename its airport Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport, after its native son and commander of STS-107. State Route 904 was renamed Lt. Michael P. Anderson Memorial Highway, as it runs through Cheney, Washington - the town where he graduated from high school. A mountain peak near Kit Carson Peak and Challenger Point in the Sangre de Cristo Range was renamed Columbia Point, and a dedication plaque was placed on the point in August 2003. Buildings or classrooms were named in honor of Columbia crewmembers at the Florida Institute of Technology, Creighton University, The University of Texas at Arlington, and the Columbia Elementary school in the Brevard County School District. The Huntsville City Schools in Huntsville, Alabama, a city strongly associated with NASA, named their most recent high school Columbia High School as a memorial to the crew. A Department of Defense school in Guam was re-named Commander William C. McCool Elementary School.^[32] The City of Palmdale, the birthplace of the entire shuttle fleet, renamed a major thoroughfare Avenue M to Columbia Way after the disaster in honor of the lost shuttle and its crew. Amarillo redirects here. ... Rick Husband Amarillo International Airport (IATA: AMA, ICAO: KAMA, FAA LID: AMA) is a public airport located six miles (10 km) east of the central business district (CBD) of Amarillo, a city in Potter and Randall Counties, Texas, USA. The airport covers 3,547 acres and has two runways. ... Cheney (pronounced chee-nee ) is a city in Spokane County, Washington, United States. ... Kit Carson is one of three Crestone peaks in the Sangre de Cristo mountain range. ... Challenger Point is a mountain in the Sangre de Cristo range in southern Colorado. ... The Sangre de Cristo Range is a narrow mountain range of the Rocky Mountains running north and south along the east side of the Rio Grande Rift in southern Colorado in the United States. ... Columbia Point is a 13,980 foot (4261m) subpeak of Kit Carson Peak. ... Florida Institute of Technology is an independent technical college located in Melbourne, Florida (Brevard County), United States. ... Creighton University is a Jesuit, Catholic university located in Omaha, Nebraska, United States of America. ... For other system schools, see University of Texas System. ... Brevard County School District serves Brevard County, Florida. ... Huntsville, Alabama (top center), near the Tennessee border, is north of Birmingham and northeast of Decatur, across the Tennessee River flowing northwest. ... Motto: Aerospace Capital of America Location of Palmdale in Los Angeles County, California Coordinates: , Country United States of America State California County Los Angeles Government  - Mayor James C. Ledford Jr. ...

NASA later named a supercomputer "Columbia" in the crew's honor.

A US Navy compound at a major coalition military base in Afghanistan is named Camp McCool in honor of Commander William C. McCool.

Impact for space programs

Following the loss of Columbia, the space shuttle program was suspended. The further construction of the International Space Station was also delayed, as the space shuttles were the only available delivery vehicle for station modules. The station was supplied using Russian unmanned Progress ships, and crews were exchanged using Russian-manned Soyuz spacecraft, and forced to operate on a skeleton crew of two. NASAs Space Shuttle, officially called Space Transportation System (STS), is the United States governments current manned launch vehicle. ... ISS redirects here. ... ISS Progress cargo spacecraft The Progress is a Russian expendable freighter spacecraft. ... Soyuz (Russian: Союз, pronounced sah-YOUS, meaning union) is a series of spacecraft designed by Sergey Korolyov for the Soviet Unions space program. ...

In late July 2003, an Associated Press poll revealed that Americans' support for the space program remained strong. Two-thirds believed the space shuttle should continue to fly and nearly three-quarters said that the space program was a good investment. On the question of sending humans to Mars, 49% thought it was a good idea, while 42% opposed it. For sending civilians like teachers into space, 56% supported the idea and 38% opposed. The Associated Press, or AP, is an American news agency, the worlds largest such organization. ... Mars is the fourth planet from the Sun in the solar system, named after the Roman god of war (the counterpart of the Greek Ares), on account of its blood red color as viewed in the night sky. ...

Less than a year after the accident, President Bush announced the Vision for Space Exploration, calling for the retirement of the space shuttle fleet following the completion of the International Space Station and the development of the Crew Exploration Vehicle. NASA planned to return the space shuttle to service around September 2004. That date was pushed back to July 2005. On July 26, 2005, at 10:39 a.m. EST, Space Shuttle Discovery cleared the tower, marking NASA's return to space. Overall the STS-114 flight was highly successful, but a similar piece of foam from a different portion of the tank was shed, although the debris did not strike the Orbiter. Due to this, NASA once again grounded the shuttles until the problem was solved. After delaying their re-entry by two days due to adverse weather conditions, the shuttle safely returned to Earth on August 9, 2005. Image from NASA site Two planned configurations for a return to the moon, heavy lift (left) and crew (right) The Vision for Space Exploration is the United States space policy announced on January 14, 2004 by President George W. Bush. ... ISS redirects here. ... CEV with lunar lander CEV during a landing on earth CEV rocket, the Crew Launch Vehicle (CLV) (right) along side the heavy-lift Cargo Launch Vehicle (CaLV) rocket. ... is the 207th day of the year (208th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... STS-114 was the first return to flight Space Shuttle mission following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster. ... is the 221st day of the year (222nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

Later that same month, the external tank construction site, Michoud Assembly Facility located in New Orleans, Louisiana was damaged by Hurricane Katrina, with all work shifts cancelled up to September 26, 2005. At the time, there was concern that this would set back further Shuttle flights by at least two months and possibly more. A Space Shuttle External Tank (ET) on its way to the Vehicle Assembly Building. ... Michoud Assembly Facility in 1968 The Michoud Assembly Facility is an 832 acre (3. ... NOLA redirects here. ... This article is about the Atlantic hurricane of 2005. ... is the 269th day of the year (270th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ...

The second "Return to Flight" mission, STS-121, launched on July 4, 2006, at 2:37:55 PM (EDT), after two previous launches were scrubbed because of lingering thunderstorms and high winds around the launch pad and the launch took place despite objections from its chief engineer and safety head. This mission increased the ISS crew to three. A five-inch (127 mm) crack in the foam insulation of the external tank gave cause for concern; however, the Mission Management Team gave the go for launch.^[33] Space Shuttle Discovery touched down successfully on July 17, 2006 at 9:14:43 AM (EDT) on Runway 15 at the Kennedy Space Center. This article is becoming very long. ... is the 185th day of the year (186th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 198th day of the year (199th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Merritt Island and Kennedy Space Center (shown in white). ...

On August 13, 2006, NASA announced STS-121 had shed more foam than they expected. While this did not delay the launch for the next mission, STS-115, originally set to lift off on August 27,^[34] the weather and other technical glitches did, with a lightning strike, Hurricane Ernesto and a faulty fuel tank sensor combining to delay the launch until September 9. On September 19, landing was delayed an extra day to examine Atlantis after objects were found floating near the shuttle in the same orbit. When no damage was detected, Atlantis landed successfully on September 21. is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... STS-115 was the first Space Shuttle assembly mission to the International Space Station after the Columbia disaster, following the two successful Return to Flight missions, STS-114 and STS-121. ... is the 239th day of the year (240th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the 2006 storm. ... is the 252nd day of the year (253rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 262nd day of the year (263rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 264th day of the year (265th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

See also

• Space Shuttle Challenger disaster

For further information about Challengers mission and crew, see STS-51-L. The iconic image of Space Shuttle Challengers smoke plume after its breakup 73 seconds after launch. ...

References

2008 (MMVIII) is the current year, a leap year that started on Tuesday of the Anno Domini (or common era), in accordance to the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 225th day of the year (226th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 215th day of the year (216th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 121st day of the year (122nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 350th day of the year (351st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 34th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 147th day of the year (148th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 55th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 218th day of the year (219th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... For information on Wikipedia press releases, see Wikipedia:Press releases. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 310th day of the year (311th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) was a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar in the 21st century. ... is the 32nd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

External links

Wikisource has original text related to this article:

Columbia Settlement

• NASA's Space Shuttle Columbia & Her Crew
• NASA STS-107 Crew Memorial web page
• Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB)
• CAIB hearing transcripts
• President Bush's remarks at memorial service - February 4, 2003
• Columbia Loss FAQ - a discussion of the Columbia disaster
• The CBS News Space Reporter's Handbook STS-51L/107 Supplement
• How poor presentation skills by engineers may have contributed to the disaster, according to Edward Tufte
• Raw Video Reconstruction of Re-entry, Tribute Videos, and More

v • d • e STS-107
Main articles	Space Shuttle Columbia · Space Shuttle Columbia disaster · Space Shuttle external tank · Space Shuttle thermal protection system
Crew	Husband (Cmdr) · McCool · Brown · Chawla · Anderson · Clark · Ramon