It is back to space this week for Because It’s Friday, and I was particularly interested in this article when I saw it, so much so, that I had a coffee break to read it! (For those new to this blog and our IT and Cyber Security companies, coffee is important to us – see here and here.)
Space Shuttle Columbia lost 1 February 2003
It is twenty years since the Space Shuttle Columbia broke up on re-entry, with the loss of all seven of the crew and the vehicle, because of damage sustained to the wing heat shield on launch.
20 Years Ago: Remembering Columbia and Her Crew | NASA
Day of Remembrance Marks 20th Anniversary of Columbia Crew Loss | NASA
Could NASA have rescued the crew of the Columbia?
There was an enquiry which carefully examined the incident and from there NASA went on to relaunch it’s shuttle fleet. However included in the official government report, was an appendix that detailed a possible rescue mission NAS may have been able to undertake, at the time, to rescue Columbia’s crew.
For it to have worked, would have taken a very different NASA, more luck than anyone would be entitled to, people who could work at 100% when pushed beyond the limit and a bit of Hollywood magic!
The audacious rescue plan that might have saved space shuttle Columbia | Ars Technica
In reality that the situation was lost from the moment the shuttle wing was damaged.
Changes made to shuttle and NASA operations following the enquiry allowed the shuttles to get back into space and complete important work on the International Space Station and the Hubble Space Telescope among other scientific work.
Clive Catton MSc (Cyber Security) – by-line and other articles
Further Reading
Scott Manley has an excellent, sensitive, video of the Columbia disaster.
Practice Drinking Coffee* better known as Planning and Preparation
