The Space Shuttle That Fell To Earth on ABC and ABC iview S1E2 – NASA engineers analyse film footage of a piece of debris striking the shuttle Columbia 81 seconds after launch.
The images show foam hitting the left wing of the shuttle. What no-one yet knows is whether the lightweight material has caused any serious damage to the vehicle or the tiles which protect the vehicle against the intense heat of re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere.
Engineers and managers debate how they can best assess the impact of the foam strike. But calls for photographs to be taken of the shuttle using satellites go unheeded.
A debris analysis team is formed and they conclude that the foam strike does not represent a safety risk to the mission. In space, the crew continue their mission unaware of any concerns inside NASA. Their 16 day orbit is filled with science experiments and emotional video conferences with their families.
On February 1st, 2003, Columbia re-enters the Earth’s atmosphere. Everything is going according to plan but then shortly before the shuttle is due to land, technical anomalies start being reported in Mission Control. When a live television report broadcasts debris falling from the sky, everyone in Mission Control fears the worst.
Production credit: Mindhouse Productions
The Space Shuttle That Fell To Earth on ABC and ABC iview – Monday 18 November at 8.30pm
TV Central ABC content HERE
The Space Shuttle That Fell To Earth on ABC and ABC iview S1E2
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