Space Shuttle Atlantis Launches Well, But Two Problems Seen
Chunk Of Foam Is Lost, And Insulating Blanket Gap Seen Space Shuttle Atlantis thundered off Kennedy Space Center Launch Pad 39A on time at 7:38 p.m. ET
www.satellitetoday.comDirect answer: The Space Shuttle that burned up on reentry was the Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) in February 2003. The disaster occurred during reentry over Texas, killing all seven astronauts aboard.[9]
Additional context:
- Columbia’s breakup was caused by damage to the left wing from a foam debris impact on launch, allowing superheated air to penetrate the shuttle during reentry.[9]
- The incident led to the suspension and later redesign/mitigation efforts across NASA’s shuttle program to improve debris inspection and heat-shield integrity checks.[9]
If you’d like, I can pull together a brief timeline of the Columbia accident and its aftermath, with key investigations and policy changes.[9]