Name: Columbia Space Shuttle Age: The count is off Nationality: American Claim to fame: NASA’s oldest shuttle that met its tragic fate minutes before landing.
SPACE shuttle Columbia started its journey in 1981. It was named after the ship that travelled between Boston to British Columbia. In many ways, it was the pioneer that it was named to be, as it was the first shuttle that took astronauts to space. It was also the oldest and one of the greatest achievements of NASA scientists, destined to take the US space programme to unprecedented heights. The shuttle was overhauled twice — first in 1991, and then again in 1999, which also proved to be its last major overhaul.
On what turned out to be its last journey, Columbia was sent into space on January 16, on a scientific research mission, a trip that NASA claimed had been successful, But it seems their scientists spoke a bit too soon.
While returning from its 16-day mission, the shuttle, crewed by a tough team of seven astronauts, also NASA’s best, namely David M. Brown, (mission specialist), Michael P. Anderson, (payload commander), Kalpana Chawala, (mission specialist), Iian Ramon (payload specialist), Rick Husband (mission commander), William McCool (pilot) and Laurel Clark, broke up just a few minutes before scheduled landing, killing all its occupants and grabbing the whole world’s attention .
On February 1, with its landing due at the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida, NASA lost communication with the shuttle during its re-entry process, as the shuttle was flying at an altitude of 63kms at a speed of 20,000 kms/hr. Soon after, blasts were heard in Texas City, followed by white trails of smoke seen in the sky. Almost in no time, the news that Columbia had broken down on its way back spread like the proverbial wildfire.
NASA lost no time in declaring emergency in Texas and the surrounding areas due to falling debris, that it said could be highly toxic due to the nature of rocket fuel. People were asked not to touch the debris, and cases of burns caused by scorching pieces of metal were reported in various hospitals.
But the saddest part is that all the astronauts aboard are now dead due to the fact that the shuttle did not have an ejection mechanism, which is something NASA will surely work on.
An investigation team has already been appointed in the case. Meanwhile, flashes of debris, garbs of the seven ill-fated astronauts, along with Columbia’s take-off coverage are being played over and over again on international electronic media, heightening the mystery of what really happened during its re-entry proceedure that led to such a disaster.
According to official statistics, the ill-fated Columbia had completed eighty successful experiments in space before breaking up in midair, making the US flag to fly at half-mast as the Americans mourn this great loss.
SPACE shuttle Columbia started its journey in 1981. It was named after the ship that travelled between Boston to British Columbia. In many ways, it was the pioneer that it was named to be, as it was the first shuttle that took astronauts to space. It was also the oldest and one of the greatest achievements of NASA scientists, destined to take the US space programme to unprecedented heights. The shuttle was overhauled twice — first in 1991, and then again in 1999, which also proved to be its last major overhaul.
