What is Space Shuttle Columbia disaster?
{{DISPLAYTITLE:Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster}} {{Infobox event |title = Space Shuttle ''Columbia'' disaster | image = Close-up STS-107 Launch - GPN-2003-00080.jpg | caption = Final launch of ''Columbia'' - the part that broke off the fuel tank can be seen as a light triangle by the nose of the Shuttle |date = {{Start date and age|2003|02|01}} |time = 08:59 [[North American Eastern Time Zone|EST]] (13:59 [[Coordinated Universal Time|UTC]]) |place = Over [[Texas]] and [[Louisiana]] |reported deaths = {{aligned table|fullwidth=y|nowrap2=y |Commander|[[Rick D. Husband]] |Pilot|[[William C. McCool]] |Payload commander|[[Michael P. Anderson]] |Mission specialist|[[Kalpana Chawla]] |Mission specialist|[[David M. Brown]] |Mission specialist|[[Laurel Clark]] |Mission specialist|[[Ilan Ramon]]}} |inquiries = [[Columbia Accident Investigation Board|''Columbia'' Investigation Board]] |cause = Wing damage from debris |outcome = Shuttles grounded for 29 months }} The '''Space Shuttle Columbia disaster''' occurred when {{OV|102}} broke up when it was reentering the [[atmosphere]] on February 1, 2003. The cause of the disaster was that a piece of foam broke from the external fuel tank. This made a hole in the shuttle's wing. During its entry, hot gases entered the wing, causing it to break up. All of the people on board died when it broke up. Parts of ''Columbia'' were found across the state of [[Texas]]. The cockpit window is now inside the {{OV|104}} Pavilion at the [[Kennedy Space Center]] in Florida. ==Crew== * Commander: [[Rick Husband|Rick D. Husband]], a [[United States Air Force|U.S. Air Force]] [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]] and [[mechanical engineering|mechanical engineer]] * Pilot: [[William C. McCool]], a [[United States Navy|U.S. Navy]] [[Commander (United States)|commander]] * Payload Commander: [[Michael P. Anderson]], a U.S. Air Force [[lieutenant colonel]] and [[physicist]] * Payload Specialist: [[Ilan Ramon]], a