NOVA chronicles the story of the space shuttle program and reveals
what led to the 1986 Challenger and 2003
Columbia disasters.
-
explains that when President Richard Nixon cancelled the
construction of a space station, the shuttle went from serving
as a transport vehicle to operating as a platform for low-Earth
orbit missions.
-
notes that in order to be cost effective, the shuttle increased
its launches by taking on military and commercial payloads.
-
reports that the number of missions increased in the 1980s until
the Challenger disaster on January 28, 1986; when
missions resumed in 1988, they were all scientific.
-
points out that after the shuttle's maintenance was turned over
to a private contractor in 1996, the shuttle's workforce was cut
nearly in half.
-
chronicles the events leading up to the cause of the 2003
Columbia disintegration—pieces of foam that fell
off the external fuel tank damaged the leading edge of the
shuttle's wing.
-
recounts the flight crew's final moments in the February 1,
2003 disaster.
-
details the accident investigation board's analysis of the
event and chronicles the board's findings, including the
conclusive test board members conducted to verify that the
foam was responsible for the shuttle damage.
-
reports on the board's findings in 2003 that led to a new
vision for space exploration.
-
relates President George W. Bush's 2004 announcement
regarding retiring the shuttle and calling for construction
of a new spacecraft that would operate beyond low-Earth
orbit.
-
presents features and safeguards of the new spacecraft,
which will be part of the Constellation program.
-
notes improvements made in the current shuttle to increase
its safety prior to its retirement.
