Main
Big photo
Wikipedia: 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 members, shortly before it was scheduled to conclude its 28th mission, STS-107. The loss of Columbia was a result of damage sustained during launch when a piece of foam insulation the size of a small briefcase 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 left wing, damaging the Shuttle's thermal protection system (TPS), which protects it from heat generated with the atmosphere during re-entry.
![[The glow of reentry as seen out the front windows]](http://images.ookaboo.com/photo/s/STS_107_Cockpit_Video_3_s.jpg "The glow of reentry as seen out the front windows")
|
![[Columbia Debris Grid]](http://images.ookaboo.com/photo/s/STS_107_Debris_KSC_Hangar_s.jpg "Columbia Debris Grid")
|
 from Caoshis |
from LW.Sikarna |
![[Columbia debris detected by National Weather Service radar over Texas and Louisiana]](http://images.ookaboo.com/photo/s/Columbia_debris_detected_by_radar_s.jpg "Columbia debris detected by National Weather Service radar over Texas and Louisiana")
|
![[Columbia at approximately 8:57]](http://images.ookaboo.com/photo/s/STS_107_Columbia_entry_imaged_from_ground_s.jpg "Columbia at approximately 8:57")
|
|
from Tom |
from Bricktop |
![[Columbia memorial on Mars Exploration Rover "Spirit"]](http://images.ookaboo.com/photo/s/MER_STS_107_Memorial_s.jpg "Columbia memorial on Mars Exploration Rover \"Spirit\"")
|
![[Columbia Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery]](http://images.ookaboo.com/photo/s/Columbia_Memorial_s.jpg "Columbia Memorial in Arlington National Cemetery")
|
 from Rtphokie |
 from Jtesla16 |
Is there something wrong with this topic? See our policies on offensive content; if you see something wrong, contact us.
