Thermosphere and Space Shuttle Columbia

Thermosphere and Space Shuttle Columbia Disaster 2003

Heat Resistant Tiles

• The Columbia Accident Investigation Board was convened by NASA to investigate the event. The board determined that the leading cause of the accident was the impact of the shuttle’s left wing with a piece of foam coming off the external tank’s bipod fitting 81.7 seconds after launch. The impact caused the breach in the wing’s leading edge, creating the conditions for the re-entry breakup.