Space Shuttle
Columbia's most recent and last mission was STS-107.
Mission Summary
January 16-February 1, 2003
Crew:
Payload:
First flight of
SPACEHAB Research Double Module; Fast Reaction Experiments Enabling Science, Technology, Applications and Research (
FREESTAR); first
Extended Duration Orbiter (EDO) mission since STS-90. This 16-day mission is dedicated to research in physical, life, and space sciences, to be conducted in approximately 80 separate experiments, comprised of hundreds of samples and test points. The seven
astronauts worked
24 hours a day, in two alternating shifts. 28 flights 1981-2003.
First flight:
April 12-14, 1981 (Crew: John W. Young and Robert Crippen)
Most recent flight:
STS-109, March 1-12, 2002
Hubble Space Telescope Servicing Mission
Other notable missions:
STS 1 through 5, 1981-1982 first flight of European Space Agency built
Spacelab. STS-50, June 25-July 9, 1992, first extended-duration
Space Shuttle mission. STS-93, July 1999 placement in orbit of Chandra
X-Ray Observatory.
Past mission
anomaly: STS-83, April 4-8, 1997. Mission was cut short by Shuttle managers due to a problem with fuel cell No. 2, which displayed evidence of internal voltage
degradation after the launch.
February 1, 2003: Space shuttle
Columbia timeline.
all times Eastern Standard Time (EST).
8:15 a.m.
Space shuttle
Columbia fires its braking rockets and streaks toward touchdown.
8:53 a.m.
Ground controllers lose data from four temperature indicators on the inboard and outboard
hydraulic systems on the left side of the spacecraft. The shuttle is functioning normally otherwise, so the crew is not alerted.
8:56 a.m.
Sensors detect rise in
temperature and pressure in tires on the shuttle's left-side
landing gear.
8:58 a.m.
Data is lost from three temperature sensors embedded in the shuttle's left wing.
8:59 a.m.
Data is lost from tire temperature and pressure sensors on the shuttle's left side. One of the sensors alerts the crew, which is acknowledging the
alert when communication is lost.
Approximately 9 a.m.
All vehicle data is lost. The shuttle is 207,135 feet over north-central
Texas and is traveling about Mach 18.3. NASA officials try to re-establish
communication for several minutes.
Texas and
Louisiana residents report a loud noise and bright balls – shuttle debris -- in the
sky.
9:16 a.m.
NASA Administrator Sean O'Keefe contacts President Bush and
Homeland Security Director
Tom Ridge when the shuttle does not land on schedule. O'Keefe later says Bush "offered full and immediate support."
9:29 a.m.
NASA declares an
emergency.
9:44 a.m.
NASA warns residents of affected area to stay away from
debris.
11 a.m.
President Bush returns to Washington.
The flag atop the countdown clock at Florida's
Kennedy Space Center is lowered to
half-staff. Flags at the White House and
Capitol soon follow.
12:15 p.m.
Bush returns to Washington from
Camp David in a speeding
motorcade.
1 p.m.
NASA administrators officially announce the
loss of the shuttle and all aboard.
1:25 p.m.
Bush calls Israeli Prime Minister
Ariel Sharon and speaks with him about 5 minutes. The shuttle was carrying the first-ever Israeli
astronaut, payload specialist Ilan Ramon.
2 p.m.
The president addresses the nation from the Cabinet Room at the
White House. "
Columbia is lost," he says. "There are
no survivors."
sources: CNN Headline News, NASA