CAUSE AND EFFECTS OF DISASTER
THE CAUSE OF THE DISASTER - During launch,a piece of foam insulation broke off from the shuttle's propellant tank and damaged the edge of the left wing. It punched a hole approximately 6-10 inches wide. The thermal protection system of the space shuttle is designed to protect the orbiter from the fiery heat re-entering the atmosphere. This heat is caused by friction generated by the orbiter traveling at 17,000 mph. About 27,000 thermal tiles are bonded to the orbiter to protect the bottom and sides from temperatures of over 2,000 degrees Fahrenheit. The leading wing edges are fitted with REC panels, 22 on each wing. This area of the orbiter can heat up to 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit during re-entry. 7-8 minutes before the failure, gauges started to lose readings in Columbia's left wing, left landing gear, brake system and tyre.Columbia was scheduled to land at 8:16 a.m. Several white trails of smoke were seen coming from the shuttle as it split up. Residents in Texas heard a loud boom as the shuttle exploded. Debris was found from Texas to Louisiana.
EFFECTS OF THE DISASTER - Since the Columbia disaster, NASA has put cameras on the outside of the space shuttle so if anything happens during launch, the astronauts can fix the problem before re-entry.
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EFFECTS OF THE DISASTER - Since the Columbia disaster, NASA has put cameras on the outside of the space shuttle so if anything happens during launch, the astronauts can fix the problem before re-entry.
CLICK HERE FOR LINK TO VIDEO