February 1, 2003Reputable sourceWell documented
The Columbia disaster
On the timeline · around February 1, 2003 ·
What happened
Columbia disintegrated during re-entry, killing its seven crew; foam debris had breached the wing's leading edge at launch.
Why it matters
It ended shuttle-era complacency, retired the fleet, and pushed NASA toward commercial crew.
Sources
- NASA. STS-107 (mission page) · Reputable source