Space Shuttle Columbia

The Columbia was a NASA space shuttle that launched on its first mission in 1981. The Columbia disintegrated when re-entering into the Earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003, killing its seven crew members.

On December 30, 2008, NASA released a report on the Columbia accident. The report found that the equipment on Columbia, including space suits and helmets, did not function properly to protect the crew during the accident. The report also found that the accident was "not survivable".Newsday: NASA: Columbia crew equipment didn't work well (December 30, 2008)

Columbia disintegrated when re-entering the earth's atmosphere on February 1, 2003. The accident happened because of an injury sustained by the shuttle during takeoff. NASA was aware of the damage, but did not think it would pose any significant risk. The tragedy resulted in the redesigning of fuel tanks on space shuttles.The New York Times: New Report on ’03 Disaster Details How Astronauts Died (December 30, 2008)

A detailed report investigating the accident was released by NASA on December 30, 2008. The report confirmed that the shuttle blew up because of hot gases created when the ship entered the earth's atmosphere. The gases were created because of a damage during liftoff, when debris fell of the fuel tank and created injury to the shuttle's wing.ABC News: Columbia Astronauts Died Quickly, Says Report (December 30 2008)

The report also found that the crew had no chance of surviving, because the shuttle lost pressure so quickly. However, the investigation into how their equipment malfunctioned could provide guidelines for the future. For example, the astronauts could not keep the visors open during the complete re-entry, and therefore they quickly became unconscious when the shuttle lost pressure. The report also found problems with the seat belts and parachutes.ABC News: Columbia Astronauts Died Quickly, Says Report (December 30 2008)