STS-107

The STS-107 mission, aboard the space shuttle Columbia, was dedicated to conducting various experiments in a microgravity environment. The mission launched on January 16, 2003, with a crew of seven astronauts. Tragically, the shuttle broke apart during atmospheric reentry on February 1, 2003, just minutes before its scheduled landing, resulting in the loss of all crew members. The disaster was later determined to be caused by a piece of insulating foam that detached from the external propellant tank during launch, striking and damaging the shuttle's wing. This damage allowed hot gases to penetrate the wing during reentry, leading to its structural failure. The Columbia disaster, occurring 17 years after the Challenger accident, led to a grounding of the remaining shuttle fleet for safety improvements.12