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THIS DAY IN HISTORY
Loss of the Columbia 20 Years Ago Today
Columbia Tragedy
I was driving in my car 20 years ago, when I heard the news; the Space Shuttle Columbia had broken up upon reentry. Sorrow engulfed me immediately and I pulled over and cried.
It was just so sad. Seven incredible lives were cut short and America mourned once again, not only for the brave souls, but for another space mission disaster.
The mission had originally been set to launch on January 11, but was delayed 13 times. It finally launched on January 16th, 2003. The 16 day mission had gone perfectly and their experiments in zero gravity significantly contributed to science. Days before, the astronauts had been sending pictures home from space.
When launch took place, 82 seconds into the flight, a piece of foam insulation released from the external tank and struck Columbia’s left wing. Although engineers at headquarters were aware of this foam strike, they deemed it inconsequential.
