Cape Weather Ripe for Icy Debris to Fall from
Columbia's Tank
NASA fueled and launched shuttle Columbia
in weather in which ice almost certainly formed on
its 15-story fuel tank. The presence of ice made
it more likely that debris smacking the shuttle's
wing in flight was heavy enough to cause
catastrophic damage.
Columbia Mishap: Closing In On Cause and Effect
Expert teams involved in matching hard
data with Columbia wreckage are faced with
weighing a variety of circumstances that might
have caused the devastating reentry of the space
plane.
New Columbia Accident Time Line Released
The Columbia Accident Investigation Board
(CAIB) issued a new version of a master time line
showing the progression of events that led to the
destruction of the shuttle and loss of its crew.
Columbia's
Last Minutes: Time Line Released
The Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) released today a master time
line of events that documents the space plane’s plunge through the atmosphere
and subsequent breakup.
One
Month Later: List of Questions Surrounding Columbia Disaster Grows
Somewhere among the multitude of possible reasons why Columbia broke up over
Texas on Feb. 1 is the truth of what happened, and the key that will allow NASA
to safely resume space shuttle launches.
Internal
NASA E-Mails Discuss Hard Choices Columbia Engineers Faced
Internal e-mails released by NASA Wednesday show that engineers and flight controllers
responsible for the shuttle's landing gear continued discussing how they might
deal with potential life-threatening scenarios aboard Columbia until just a
few hours before the vehicle and crew were lost on Feb. 1.
NASA
Admits Shuttle Launch Debris Reporting Error; Internal E-mails Stressed Concern
Up to three pieces of insulation foam fell from the external tank and struck
the left wing of shuttle Columbia during its Jan. 16 launch, something NASA
knew all along but apparently had never made clear, agency officials said Friday.
Step-by-Step:
How Columbia's Wing Might have Failed and Why
There are no firm answers yet as to exactly why shuttle Columbia broke apart
Feb. 1, but with public hearings set to start next week, a new wave of theories
is beginning to make the rounds.
Shuttle's
Skin Breached
The space shuttle Columbia almost certainly suffered a devastating breach of
its skin, allowing superheated air inside the left wing and possibly the wheel
compartment during its fiery descent, investigators said Thursday.
Columbia
Investigation Enters New Phase, Air Force Picture Adds Intrigue
Nearly one week after the space shuttle Columbia and crew was lost over Texas
the investigation is moving on to a phase where officials say they will have
little more that's new to offer, and instead will be looking at what they already
think they know again and again.
Shift
in Thinking: NASA Widens Shuttle Disaster Clue Search
NASA has essentially ruled out a theory that a breakaway piece of foam may have
caused Columbia to rip apart. Other possibilities abound, from an accidental
triggering of explosive devices on board to a collision with a piece of space
garbage, or perhaps a flaw in a wing that caused the spacecraft to swing out
of control and disintegrate moments before it was to land.
Questions
Arise Over Former Safety Panel
Two years ago, NASA dismantled an expert panel that was questioning the budget-strapped
space agency's long-term plans for safety. Now, with the Columbia disaster bringing
safety issues to the fore, some are wondering why panel members were dismissed.
NASA
Took Steps to Remedy Known Shuttle Vulnerability
NASA was warned nine years ago that the space shuttle could fail catastrophically
if debris hit the vulnerable underside of its wings during liftoff - the very
scenario that may have brought down Columbia.
Foam
and Tiles Always at Risk on Shuttle
The investigation into what caused Columbia to fall to pieces is leading NASA
back to two things that have worried engineers almost from Day One of the shuttle
program: foam and tiles.
NASA
to Re-Examine Debris Impact from Columbia Launch
The case grew stronger for a bit of loose insulation falling from the launch
booster rocket and damaging heat tiles, but NASA says more evidence is needed.
Sensors
Showed Extreme Heat on Shuttle Columbia
Shuttle Columbia was maneuvering to stay on course for landing Saturday even
as sensors on the spaceplane's left wing recorded rapidly increasing temperatures
in the minutes before all contact was lost.
NASA
Options to Save Doomed Columbia Varied
Could NASA have saved all or some of the seven astronauts by trying some Hollywood-style
heroics -- a potentially suicidal spacewalk, perhaps, or a rescue mission by
another shuttle? Some of the ideas that have been suggested would have been
highly impractical, dangerous and perhaps futile.
$100
Million Commercial Science Lab Lost on Columbia Was Insured
Insurers will soon be processing a claim for the commercial research laboratory
that was lost aboard the shuttle Columbia. The claim will be filed by Spacehab
Inc., of Webster, Tex., a company that has built its business around NASA’s
space shuttle program.
Columbia's
Problems Began on Left Wing
Investigators trying to figure out what destroyed space
shuttle Columbia immediately focused on the left wing and the possibility that
its thermal tiles were damaged far more seriously than NASA realized by a piece
of debris during liftoff.
Full
Text of Statement by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe on Shuttle Columbia Loss
The complete text a statement made Saturday by NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe.
Shuttle
Disaster Rattles Texas and Litters State with Debris
Former California resident Susie Patterson thought she'd been awoken
by an earthquake Saturday morning. Her house near Nacogdoches, Texas was shaking,
the windows rattling. Then she remembered she was in Texas and thought perhaps
there was a tornado coming.
Former
Shuttle Commander: "Never Thought We’d Lose One During Reentry"
Former shuttle commander Robert "Hoot" Gibson, who piloted the
orbiter Columbia on a 1986 mission, says he never expected to see a shuttle
destroyed during reentry into the Earth’s atmosphere.
Columbia
Destroyed During Re-Entry, Crew Lost
Seven astronauts and NASA's first space shuttle were presumed lost
over the skies of Texas on Saturday as Columbia was re-entering Earth's atmosphere
to wrap up a 16-day science mission.
Columbia
Mission STS-107 | Columbia
Special Report | Shuttle
Return to Flight | SPACE.com
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