STS-107

STS-107
NASA · Public domain · source
Mission	STS-107
Operator	National Aeronautics and Space Administration
Spacecraft	Space Shuttle Columbia
Launch date	January 16, 2003
Landing date	February 1, 2003 (planned)
Mission duration	16 days (planned)
Orbit	Low Earth orbit
Insignia	Columbia STS-107 patch

STS-107 STS-107 was a 2003 National Aeronautics and Space Administration scientific research mission flown by the Space Shuttle Columbia that conducted multidisciplinary experiments in microgravity, astronomy, biology, materials science, and Earth observation. The mission assembled a crew from multiple institutions including United States Air Force Academy, California Institute of Technology, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and international partners such as Israel Aerospace Industries and German Aerospace Center. The flight was widely publicized through connections to institutions like the Smithsonian Institution and the Kennedy Space Center.

Mission overview

The mission objective emphasized microgravity research for organizations including European Space Agency, Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency, Canadian Space Agency, Israeli Space Agency, and multiple American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics affiliates. Payload elements originated from universities such as Stanford University, Harvard University, Princeton University, Yale University, Columbia University, and University of California, Berkeley. Planning and integration involved centers and contractors including Johnson Space Center, Marshall Space Flight Center, Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Boeing, Lockheed Martin, and Rockwell International. The mission used hardware derived from programs like the Space Shuttle program, with flight rules influenced by prior missions including STS-1 and STS-51-L contingencies.

Crew

The seven-member crew brought expertise spanning test pilots, mission specialists, payload specialists, and researchers affiliated with institutions such as the United States Air Force, United States Marine Corps, Texas A&M University, Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory, California Institute of Technology, and Israel Aerospace Industries. Crew selection processes involved panels from NASA Astronaut Corps, Air Force Flight Test Center, European Space Agency Astronaut Corps, and academic review boards from Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Stanford University. Public outreach connected the crew with organizations including the Smithsonian Institution, National Science Foundation, American Astronomical Society, American Chemical Society, and major media outlets such as The New York Times and The Washington Post.

Payload and experiments

Experiment suites onboard were contributed by universities and agencies including MIT, Caltech, Harvard, Stanford, Princeton, University of Chicago, Columbia University, Yale University, University of Michigan, Cornell University, Pennsylvania State University, and international partners CNES, DLR, ISRO, CSA, and ISA. Scientific themes tied to institutions and facilities such as the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, Ames Research Center, Langley Research Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Los Alamos National Laboratory, and the National Institutes of Health. Specific payloads referenced experimental techniques developed at centers like the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Max Planck Society, British Antarctic Survey, and the European Southern Observatory. Technology demonstration hardware derived from contracts with Boeing, Northrop Grumman, Raytheon, and Honeywell supported experiments sponsored by industry partners including General Electric and IBM.

Flight timeline

Launch operations were conducted at Kennedy Space Center using launch infrastructure and teams from United States Air Force 45th Space Wing, NASA Launch Services Program, and contractors such as Thiokol legacy suppliers. Orbital operations interfaced with the International Space Station tracking networks, Spaceflight Meteorology Group, Mission Control Center Houston, and international ground stations like those operated by European Space Agency and Himachal Pradesh satellite facilities coordinated by Indian Space Research Organisation. Reentry profiles followed guidance developed from studies at Ames Research Center and Langley Research Center, with contingency planning referencing past incidents including Apollo 1 and Space Shuttle Challenger.

Accident and investigation

The accident occurred during reentry and prompted investigations led by the National Transportation Safety Board, NASA Accident Investigation Board, and international observers from European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. The investigation examined debris handling coordinated with agencies including Federal Bureau of Investigation, United States Geological Survey, Texas Department of Public Safety, and United States Army Corps of Engineers. Engineering analysis drew on expertise from Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Stanford University, California Institute of Technology, University of Maryland, Georgia Institute of Technology, Purdue University, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, Carnegie Mellon University, Cornell University, Johns Hopkins University, and contractors such as Boeing and Lockheed Martin. The findings influenced programmatic responses involving the United States Congress, White House, and advisory committees including the Presidential Commission on Flight Safety and panels from the National Academy of Sciences.

Recovery and memorials

Recovery operations involved agencies and institutions including the United States Air Force, United States Navy, Federal Emergency Management Agency, Texas A&M University, University of Texas at Austin, Smithsonian Institution, National Museum of the United States Air Force, Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and local governments of counties coordinated with Texas Department of Public Safety and Brazoria County. Memorials and commemorations featured ceremonies at locations such as the National Mall, Arlington National Cemetery, Kennedy Space Center, Johnson Space Center, Israel Museum, and international memorials supported by European Space Agency and Canadian Space Agency. Awards and honors connected to the crew referenced institutions including the Congressional Space Medal of Honor, Presidential Medal of Freedom, National Aeronautic Association, and academic posthumous recognitions from Harvard University, Princeton University, Stanford University, and Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

Category:Space Shuttle missions