STS-107
Mission / eventFailed during reentry
Columbia completes a dedicated research mission before being lost during reentry
STS-107 conducted sixteen days of around-the-clock research in SPACEHAB and the FREESTAR payload, spanning life science, materials, combustion, , and technology. Columbia and its seven astronauts were lost during on February 1, 2003, after ascent debris had damaged the 's left wing.
Mission photo archive
Reviewed photographs documenting STS-107. Every image links to its official NASA catalog record.
Space Shuttle Projects
A clear blue sky hosts the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia STS-107 mission as it hurtles toward space from launch pad 39A at Kennedy Space Center on January 16, 2003. The 28th Columbia flight and 113th overall flight in NASA's Space Shuttle program, STS-107 is a multidiscipline microgravity and Earth science research mission involving 80-plus International experiments to be performed by a crew of seven during the 16-day mission. The breadth of science conducted on this mission will have widespread benefits to life on Earth, many of which will be managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama.
Space Shuttle Projects
This is a traditional crew portrait of the seven STS-107 crew members. Seated in front, from left, are: Astronauts Rick D. Husband, mission commander; Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist; and William C. McCool, pilot. Standing, from left, are: David M. Brown, Laurel B. Clark, and Michael P. Anderson, all mission specialists; and Ilan Ramon, payload specialist, representing the Israeli Space Agency. Launched January 16, 2003, the STS-107 mission is strictly a multidiscipline microgravity and Earth science research mission involving 80-plus International experiments to be performed during 16-days, many of which will be managed by the Marshall Space Flight Center in Huntsville, Alabama. The first shuttle mission in 2003, the STS-107 mission marks the 113th flight overall in NASA's Space Shuttle program and the 28th flight of the Space Shuttle Orbiter Columbia.
Chawla and Clark in the Spacehab RDM during activation procedures on STS-107
STS107-E-05018 (17 January 2003) --- Astronaut Kalpana Chawla (foreground) and Laurel B. Clark, STS-107 mission specialists, work in the SPACEHAB Research Double Module aboard the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Launch record
Explore this mission’s launch, including its vehicle, launch site, payload, and outcome.
OV-102 Research
launch attemptOrbital attemptcompletedNo reviewed launch image8 connectionsMission dossier
Flight profile, locations, hardware, and outcome in the same reference format used throughout the archive.
Flight profile
Places and recovery
- Launch site
- Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A[1]
Mission record
- Reentry loss
- February 1, 2003[1]
- Planned landing site
- Kennedy Space Center Shuttle Landing Facility, Runway 33[1]
- Mission type
- Microgravity research[1]
- Vehicle
- STS-107 flight stack[1]
- Orbiter
- Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102)[1]
- Crew and station travelers
- 7[1]
Trajectory profile
2 sourcesFollow the mission from departure through its flight environment, destination, and final phase. This sequence is not a scale orbital plot.
Mission locations
2 sourcesDocumented surface, test, landing, and recovery locations. Map links use the cited place name or exact coordinates; AstronautAtlas does not geocode or estimate missing positions.
Departure or test site
Launch site
Kennedy Space Center, Launch Complex 39A
Incidents and investigations
2003-02-01
Columbia and Crew Lost During Reentry
STS-107 conducted sixteen days of around-the-clock research in SPACEHAB and the FREESTAR payload, spanning life science, materials, combustion, , and technology. Columbia and its seven astronauts were lost during on February 1, 2003, after ascent debris had damaged the 's left wing.
- Date
- February 1, 2003
2003-02-01
Columbia STS-107 Loss
Space Shuttle Columbia was lost during reentry at the end of STS-107. All seven crew members died. The Columbia Accident Investigation Board examined the foam strike during ascent, the resulting breach in the left wing leading edge, and the organizational conditions that contributed to the accident.
- Date
- February 1, 2003
- Phase
- Related mission
- STS-107
- Outcome
- Loss of Columbia and seven crew members
Assignment Manifest
The flight crew and the backup team assigned to train for this mission.
Prime crew
7 assignmentsMission Purpose
2 sources- Conduct microgravity, life-science, physical-science, Earth-observation, and technology experiments.
- Operate the Spacehab Research Double Module as a dedicated research laboratory.
- Support international research payloads, including Israeli science investigations.
- Return Columbia and experiment results after the planned research mission.
Planned Flight Plan
2 sources- Launch
Research mission begins
Columbia launched from Kennedy Space Center carrying a seven-person crew and a dedicated Spacehab research payload.
- On orbit
Round-the-clock science
The crew worked in shifts to conduct research across life sciences, physical sciences, combustion, materials, and .
- Entry
Planned Kennedy landing
The mission plan called for Columbia to reenter and land at Kennedy Space Center after completing the research program.
Mission Timeline
2 sources- January 16, 2003
Launch
Columbia began a dedicated sixteen-day research mission.
- Orbital mission
Continuous research
Two crew shifts operated SPACEHAB and FREESTAR experiments around the clock.
- February 1, 2003
Loss of Columbia
The orbiter broke apart during reentry after left-wing damage sustained at launch.
Open operation record - After the accident
Investigation and redesign
The Shuttle fleet was grounded while investigators determined causes and NASA changed hardware and operations.