TITUSVILLIE, Fla. – What began as a promising mission on Jan. 16, 2003, turned to tragedy Feb. 1.

After completing about 80 experiments aboard Space Shuttle Columbia, the seven-member crew died 16 minutes before landing at Kennedy Space Center.

What You Need To Know

  • The crew of STS-107 was on its way back to a touchdown in Florida when the orbiter broke apart

  • The Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report was instrumental in assessing what went wrong that led to the deaths of the seven-member crew

  • NASA took several steps to address the systemic issues that led to the Columbia disaster and put an extra spotlight on safety during anniversary each year

The shuttle orbiter was flying across the sky above Texas when it began to break apart. More than 25,000 people were mobilized to search the hundreds of miles where pieces of the spacecraft fell.

On board were the following astronauts:

  • Commander – Rick Husband
  • Pilot – William McCool
  • Payload Commander – Michael Anderson
  • Mission Specialist - David Brown
  • Mission Specialist – Kalpana Chawla
  • Mission Specialist – Laurel Blair Salton Clark
  • Payload Specialist – Ilan Ramon

Through the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB) Report determined that during launch, a chunk of foam broke off the External Tank and struck the orbiter wing, damaging the thermal protection system.

The report noted that there were organizational issues that contributed to different actions not being taken after they observed the strike. Regarding “Space Shuttle Program Management,” it stated that “There were lapses in leadership and communication that made it difficult for engineers to raise concerns or understand decisions. Management failed to actively engage in the analysis of potential damage caused by the foam strike.”

Shifting communication and how problems could be assessed was one of the big changes that came about from Columbia. During a NASA town hall ahead of the agency’s Day of Remembrance, Administrator Bill Nelson emphasized the importance of not being silent.

“Bottom line is this: speak up. A question, even a simple question, is more forgivable than a mistake that can result in a tragedy,” Nelson said. “And each of us has a responsibility to cultivate a work environment where every member of the NASA family feels empowered to voice doubt. Make your concerns heard.”

At the American Space Museum in Titusville, Mark Marquette, the community liaison, echoed the sentiment. He said the sacrifices made by those astronauts helped make important changes that make spaceflight safer for both professional and private astronauts.

“The lessons learned from Apollo I, Challenger, Columbia have made safe access to space for private companies and their legacy lives on,” Marquette said. “I’m sure 100 years from now, we’ll be thinking of these people. I certainly hope so.”

To read more about Columbia and what NASA learned from the tragedy and its aftermath, click here.