All seven crew members perished when Columbia broke apart during reentry, doomed

Featured Event 2003 Event

Columbia Disintegrates on Reentry: Seven Astronauts Lost

All seven crew members perished when Columbia broke apart during reentry, doomed by a foam strike that punctured the orbiter's thermal shield sixteen days earlier. The disaster grounded the shuttle fleet for over two years and forced NASA to overhaul its safety culture, ultimately accelerating the program's retirement in 2011.

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February 1, 2003

23 years ago

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Columbia Disintegrates on Reentry: Seven Astronauts Lost

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