Remembering Space Shuttle Columbia

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STS-107 Crew (L-R): Mission Specialist 1 David M. Brown, Commander Rick D. Husband, Mission Specialist 4 Laurel Blair Salton Clark, Mission Specialist 2 Kalpana Chawla, Payload Commander Michael P. Anderson, Pilot William C. McCool, Payload Specialis

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On Feb. 1, 2003, NASA was once again dealing with tragedy when Space Shuttle Columbia and her crew of seven astronauts were lost after the shuttle broke apart during reentry.

What we know:

The Mission Control Center at the moment of loss of contact with Columbia on Feb. 1, 2003. (NASA)

Columbia was just 16 minutes from landing at the Kennedy Space Center, when Mission Control at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas, lost contact with the shuttle. By the time Mission Control was aware that Columbia was overdue, fiery white streaks had appeared in the skies over Texas, as Columbia disintegrated, killing the seven-member crew — Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool, Payload Commander Michael Anderson, and Mission Specialists Kalpana Chawla, David Brown, Laurel Clark, and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon, who was the first Israeli astronaut.

The backstory:

Columbia lifted off from Launch Pad 39A at the Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 16, 2003. (NASA)

Columbia took off from the Kennedy Space Center on Jan. 16, 2003. During the launch, a piece of foam from the shuttle's orange external tank broke off and slammed into the left wing of the orbiter. NASA's engineers spotted the incident on launch footage — the impact sent a cloud of debris into the air as the shuttle continued upwards — but did not realize that it had punched a hole in the leading edge of Columbia's wing. The blow from the foam caused the shuttle to overheat and break up upon reentry.

The investigation determined that NASA had underestimated the potential danger of the foam debris, which had been a problem on a number of other launches.

The review board also looked at whether the astronauts could have been saved if NASA had known about the wing damage. Had they taken immediate action, they decided, it could have been possible to pull space shuttle Atlantis out of processing and launch it on an unprecedented rescue mission, though there would have been no way to get Columbia itself home.

They also determined that Columbia's astronauts could have attempted a risky on-orbit repair themselves, but there was no guarantee that it would have worked.

President George W. Bush address on the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy

My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At 9:00 a.m. this morning, Mission Control in Houston lost contact with our Space Shuttle Columbia. A short time later, debris was seen falling from the skies above Texas. The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors.
On board was a crew of seven: Colonel Rick Husband; Lt. Colonel Michael Anderson; Commander Laurel Clark; Captain David Brown; Commander William McCool; Dr. Kalpana Chawla; and Ilan Ramon, a Colonel in the Israeli Air Force. These men and women assumed great risk in the service to all humanity.
In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easy to overlook the dangers of travel by rocket, and the difficulties of navigating the fierce outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more.
All Americans today are thinking, as well, of the families of these men and women who have been given this sudden shock and grief. You're not alone. Our entire nation grieves with you. And those you loved will always have the respect and gratitude of this country.
The cause in which they died will continue. Mankind is led into the darkness beyond our world by the inspiration of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on.
In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."
The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.
May God bless the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.

— President George W. Bush's address on the Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy — February 1, 2003

The Source: Information for this article was sourced from NASA and includes previous FOX Local reporting. This story was reported from Orlando.

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