Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 | STS-107

Launch Failure

The seven members of the crew were killed on February 1 when Columbia disintegrated during reentry into the atmosphere. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board determined the failure was caused by a piece of foam that broke off during launch and damaged the thermal protection system (reinforced carbon-carbon panels and thermal protection tiles) on the leading edge of the orbiter's Left wing. During re-entry the damaged wing slowly overheated and came apart, eventually leading to loss of control and disintegration of the vehicle.

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Launch Window

Jan. 16, 2003, 3:39 p.m. - Jan. 16, 2003, 3:39 p.m.

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STS-107 Columbia's final launch (1-16-03)

STS-107, the final flight of the orbiter Columbia. January 16, 2003.

STS-107

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Overview

Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Mission: Human Exploration

Low Earth Orbit Launch Complex 39A Kennedy Space Center, FL, USA

STS-107 was the 113th flight of the Space Shuttle program, and the disastrous final flight of Space Shuttle Columbia. The mission launched from Kennedy Space Center in Florida on January 16, 2003, and during its 15 days, 22 hours, 20 minutes, 32 seconds in orbit conducted a multitude of international scientific experiments.

Space Shuttle

Family: Space Shuttle
Configuration:

The Space Shuttle is a retired, partially reusable low Earth orbital spacecraft system operated from 1981 to 2011 by the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) as part of the Space Shuttle program. Its official program name was Space Transportation System (STS). Five complete Space Shuttle orbiter vehicles were built and flown on a total of 135 missions from 1981 to 2011.

Specifications
  • Stages
    2
  • Length
    56.1 m
  • Diameter
    8.0 m
  • Fairing Diameter
    ―
  • Launch Mass
    2030 T
  • Thrust
    28200 kN
Family
  • Name
    Space Shuttle
  • Family
    Space Shuttle
  • Variant
    ―
  • Alias
    ―
  • Full Name
    Space Shuttle
Payload Capacity
  • Launch Cost
    $450000000
  • Low Earth Orbit
    27500 kg
  • Geostationary Transfer Orbit
    ―
  • Direct Geostationary
    ―
  • Sun-Synchronous Capacity
    ―

Space Shuttle Columbia

In-active Human Rated Crew On-board: 7 Crew Capacity: 7 Payload Capacity: 27500 kg
Destination: Low Earth Orbit
Serial Number: OV-102

Space Shuttle Columbia (Orbiter Vehicle Designation: OV-102) was the first space-rated orbiter in NASA's Space Shuttle fleet. It launched for the first time on mission STS-1 on April 12, 1981, the first flight of the Space Shuttle program. Over 22 years of service, it completed 27 missions before disintegrating during re-entry near the end of its 28th mission, STS-107 on February 1, 2003, resulting in the deaths of all seven crew members.

Space Shuttle Details

Crew

Rick Husband

Commander - American - ( NASA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: July 12, 1957
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

William C. McCool

Pilot - American - ( NASA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: Sept. 23, 1961
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

David M. Brown

Mission Specialist - American - ( NASA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: April 16, 1956
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

Ilan Ramon

Payload Specialist - Israeli - ( ISA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: June 20, 1954
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

Laurel Clark

Mission Specialist - American - ( NASA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: March 10, 1961
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

Kalpana Chawla

Mission Specialist - American - ( NASA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: March 17, 1962
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

Michael P. Anderson

Mission Specialist - American - ( NASA )

Status: Lost In Flight

Date of Birth: Dec. 28, 1959
Date of Death: Feb. 1, 2003

National Aeronautics and Space Administration

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Administrator: Bill Nelson Founded: 1958 Successes: 115 Failures: 20 Pending: 6

Agency Type: Government

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.

INFO WIKI

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