The crew of the doomed shuttle Columbia was violently spun around in the cabin as the spacecraft disintegrated on reentry, according to NASA's final report on the 2003 tragedy that includes safety recommendations.
The 400-page report took four years to complete and its conclusions will be used in configuring the future Orion spacecraft that will eventually replace the US space agency's current fleet of three shuttles due to be retired in 2010.
In a highly detailed description of Columbia's final moments, the report said the seven astronauts were unaware their reentry was compromised. The pilot tried to take control of the shuttle ignoring that his efforts would be in vain, as Columbia exploded over Texas on February 1, 2003.
Things happened so fast that none of the crew, including an Israeli astronaut, were able to close the visor of their helmets -- one astronaut was not even wearing one, the report said.
The 400-page report took four years to complete and its conclusions will be used in configuring the future Orion spacecraft that will eventually replace the US space agency's current fleet of three shuttles due to be retired in 2010.
In a highly detailed description of Columbia's final moments, the report said the seven astronauts were unaware their reentry was compromised. The pilot tried to take control of the shuttle ignoring that his efforts would be in vain, as Columbia exploded over Texas on February 1, 2003.
Things happened so fast that none of the crew, including an Israeli astronaut, were able to close the visor of their helmets -- one astronaut was not even wearing one, the report said.
-
- groups:
- Green, News and Politics, Earth and Science, Space
-
- tags:
- News and Politics, Green, Earth and Science, Space, 5 more + add
-
-
-
-
- NFUSA
- added this
-
whew, what a report..I hope they didn't experience that consciously...the new system sounds alot better.
-
-
-
-
- WorldPeaceTV
- 11 months ago
-
-
Scary way to go.
-
And they talk about making a star to send in to space. We already did!
-
-
-
-
- SHAWN_RITTIMAN
- 11 months ago
-
