The Space Shuttle Columbia was launched at January the 16th in 2003 at 9.39am . Columbia (Flight STS-107) was on a 16-day science research mission in Earth orbit which performed experiments in space.It was the 113th mission in space.The Space Shuttle Columbia was the oldest space shuttle in the crew of four. It was the first space shuttle to be launched in Earth orbit in the year 1981.

The crew of Space Shuttle Columbia had  7 astronauts:

- Rick D. Husband – Commander
 - William C. McCool – Pilot
 - Michael P. Anderson
 - David M. Brown
 - Kalpana Chawla
 - Laurel Clark
 - Ilan Ramon -

 The Space Shuttle Columbia had 7-8 minutes before the failure had happend, gauges started to loose readings in Columbia’s left wing, left landing gear brake system and tyre.

At 8am – All vehicle data was lost at 207,135 feet above the Earth at Mach 18.3 (about 12,500 mph) when the Columbia Space Shuttle broke up over north-central Texas. It was about 16 minutes prior to its scheduled landing at Florida’s Kennedy Space Center.

The last communication was from Houston ground control to Columbia commander Rick Husband was:

“To Columbia, here is Houston; we see your tyre pressure messages and we did not copy your last message.”

After a moment, Husband replied: “Roger but …”

After a short cracking noise, contact was lost. The Space Shuttle Columbia was scheduled to land at 8.16am.

There were several white trails of smoke seen coming from The Space Shuttle Columbia as it split up.

Residents in North Texas heard a loud boom.

Video of Columbia’s descent over Texas showed the shuttle breaking up upon reentry.

Initial reports were of small bits of debris spread in a wide area in Texas. Nasa advised people not to touch shuttle debris as the shuttle engines use highly toxic chemicals.

Because of the tragedy in an address to the nation on Saturday the 1st at 4.45, President George W. Bush had confirmed the space shuttle Columbia and its crew of seven were lost after the Orbiter broke up during reentry on its landing approach to the Kennedy Space Center in Texas.

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