Overview
- On February 1, 2003, Columbia broke apart during re-entry after a 16-day mission, killing Rick Husband, Willie McCool, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel Clark, Michael Anderson, David Brown and Ilan Ramon.
- Investigations determined that foam from the external tank struck the shuttle’s left wing at launch, damaging thermal protection that later failed on descent.
- Mission control had growing safety concerns while the crew had been reassured the damage was minor, with the final communication ending shortly before 9 a.m. EST.
- A 2008 NASA crew-survival report found the astronauts likely survived the initial breakup before cabin depressurization led to unconsciousness and fatal trauma.
- A new three-part BBC series, The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth, revisits NASA mistakes, the absence of viable rescue or repair options, and the debris recovery across Texas and Louisiana.