Little-Acorn
02-01-2013, 01:52 PM
Ten years ago today, on Feb. 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas while re-entering the Earth's atmosphere after a 16-day mission in space. All seven crew members were killed.
After an investigation, NASA determined that the breakup had occurred because a chunk of insulating foam from the shuttle's large external fuel tank, had broken off during launch as the shuttle exceeded the speed of sound, and had hit the shuttle's wing, causing damage that later allowed superheated air during re-entry to get into the internal wing structure, damaging and destroying structural members.
After the investigation, NASA stated that a change in the original formula of the tank's insulating foam, made for environmental purposes to eliminate the chemical freon, had nothing to do with the accident.
After an investigation, NASA determined that the breakup had occurred because a chunk of insulating foam from the shuttle's large external fuel tank, had broken off during launch as the shuttle exceeded the speed of sound, and had hit the shuttle's wing, causing damage that later allowed superheated air during re-entry to get into the internal wing structure, damaging and destroying structural members.
After the investigation, NASA stated that a change in the original formula of the tank's insulating foam, made for environmental purposes to eliminate the chemical freon, had nothing to do with the accident.