Columbia Space Shuttle

Disaster
Group Members

Anam Waqar
M. Umair Illahi
Abdul Razzaq
Rasool Khan
M. Ismail
Presentation Breakdown
 Evolution
 Structure
 Crew
 Final flight
 Accident
 Accident cause
 Rescue operation
 Investigation
 Recommendations
Columbia space shuttle: Evolution

 Reusable shuttle by NASA, 1975

 27 successful space missions in 30 years.

 Columbia’s 28th mission.

 Purpose of Columbia space shuttle

Columbia space shuttle: Structure
Main parts
• External tank
• Solid rocket boosters
• Orbiter
• Main engines
• Payload bay

Cross Range Requirements

• Cost Effective
• Proper thermal protection System
• Runway for landing
• Large Delta shaped wings
 Columbia space shuttle: Crew
 David Brown

 William McCool

 Michael Anderson
 Kalpana Chawla

 Rick Husband

 Laurel Clark

 Ilan Ramon
 Challenger Accident

 Jan 28, 1986

 25th mission

 Accident Cause

 Rogers Commission Report

Columbia space shuttle: Final Flight

 January 16, 2003

 Mission STS -107

 Flight readiness certificate

 Missions
• Life Sciences
• Material Sciences
• Fluid Physics
Columbia space shuttle: Accident

 February 1, 2003, Deorbiting

 Velocity of space shuttle

 Height of shuttle during accident

 Killed seven astronauts

Columbia space shuttle: Accident Cause

 Foam Strike
 Damage of left wing
 Drastic increase in temperature
 Loss of sensor readings
Columbia space shuttle: Rescue Operation

 Rescue operation by NASA

 Search of debris in Texas and Louisiana
 40% recovery of debris
 Report Calls for funding, emphasis on safety
 Columbia space shuttle: Investigation

 NASA accident Investigation team

 Fault tree

 Induced and Natural Environments

 Integrated Vehicle Mass Properties
 External Impacts
Columbia space shuttle: Findings

 Solid Rocket Boosters Bolt Catchers

 Kapton Wiring
 Crushed Foam
 Willful Damage and Security
 Orbiter Major Modification
Columbia space shuttle: Main Causes
 Physical cause
 Foam strike
 Organizational cause
 Space Shuttle Program’s history
 Resource conflicts
 Schedule pressures
 Lack of effective communications
 Failure of early detection
 Could the accident be avoided ?

YES!
Reason
 On-orbit repairing
 On-orbit rescue operation
Recommendations

 Better Imaging System

 Better Resource Management
 Schedule Stress
 Technical Inspections
 Periodic Checkups
Thank You