"Our liberty depends on the freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." -Thomas Jefferson Liberty Bell :: February :: 2006

February 1, 2006

Columbia Remembrance

Filed under: Uncategorized

On February 1st, 2003, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrated about 40 miles above the earth. Columbia was only 16 minutes away from landing. It was the first accident on landing in the 42 years of space flight.

Six of the crew were US citizens. The seventh was an Israeli – Israel’s first astronaut. By name they were Rick Husband, William McCool, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Colonel Ilan Ramon and female astronauts Laurel Clark and Indian-born Kalpana Chawla.

Columbia was the oldest of a fleet of four, first flying in April 1981. She was also the first reusable space vehicle.