The Failure That Led to the Columbia Tragedy
Clip: Season 52 Episode 19 | 1m 35sVideo has Closed Captions
A small piece of insulation caused catastrophic damage.
During the construction of the ISS, tragedy struck the Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven-member crew.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies and Viking Cruises. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.
Support provided by:
The Failure That Led to the Columbia Tragedy
Clip: Season 52 Episode 19 | 1m 35sVideo has Closed Captions
During the construction of the ISS, tragedy struck the Space Shuttle Columbia and its seven-member crew.
Problems playing video? | Closed Captioning Feedback
How to Watch NOVA
NOVA is available to stream on pbs.org and the free PBS App, available on iPhone, Apple TV, Android TV, Android smartphones, Amazon Fire TV, Amazon Fire Tablet, Roku, Samsung Smart TV, and Vizio.
Buy Now
NOVA Labs
NOVA Labs is a free digital platform that engages teens and lifelong learners in games and interactives that foster authentic scientific exploration. Participants take part in real-world investigations by visualizing, analyzing, and playing with the same data that scientists use.Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship- [Narrator] After more than two weeks conducting experiments in orbit, Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates on reentry, killing all seven crew members.
(gentle music) - Those are my friends, I knew 'em personally.
I knew 'em professionally.
Some of them were in my class.
I miss 'em every day.
(crew chattering) It caused us to lose seven very incredible people.
And believe me, they were incredible.
- [Astronaut 1] (indistinct) You can just give it.
- [Astronaut 2] This is amazing.
It's really getting really bright out there.
- [Astronaut 3] Yep.
Yeah, you definitely don't wanna be outside now.
- The Columbia disaster we later found out, was due to foam shedding off of the external tank.
(gentle music) (air whooshing) - [Narrator] During launch, a falling piece of insulating foam struck the shuttle's left wing, damaging the thermal protection tiles designed to shield it from extreme heat during reentry.
- And what that did was that allowed very hot plasma to get inside of the wing and basically melt the inner structure of the spacecraft.
(light music) (air whooshing) - [Narrator] Test simulations back on the ground reveal the devastating impact (air whooshing) of this seemingly small briefcase size chunk of foam traveling at high speed.
(light music)
How Astronauts Avoided Disaster Building the International Space Station
Video has Closed Captions
Clip: S52 Ep19 | 4m 30s | A dangerous spacewalk, a toxic leak, and a breathtaking view of Earth. (4m 30s)
Operation Space Station: High-Risk Build Preview
Video has Closed Captions
Preview: S52 Ep19 | 30s | Astronauts and Mission Control relive terrifying moments during construction of the ISS. (30s)
Providing Support for PBS.org
Learn Moreabout PBS online sponsorship
- Science and Nature
Capturing the splendor of the natural world, from the African plains to the Antarctic ice.
- Science and Nature
Learn how centuries of knowledge helped our ancestors understand the mysteries of space.
Support for PBS provided by:
National Corporate funding for NOVA is provided by Carlisle Companies and Viking Cruises. Major funding for NOVA is provided by the NOVA Science Trust, the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, and PBS viewers.