This Day in History
Launch of Space Shuttle Columbia


Tragedy Strikes Space Shuttle Columbia
February 1, 2003

On this day in 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia disintegrates 40 miles above earth, just 15 minutes before its scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. All astronauts aboard were killed – commander Rick D. Husband, pilot William C. McCool, payload commander Michael P. Anderson, mission specialists David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark, and Israel’s first astronaut, Ilan Ramon.

This painting by Mort Künstler shows the first launch of the Columbia on April 12, 1981.





March's Archived Features:

Wednesday March 1, 2023
Thursday March 2, 2023
Friday March 3, 2023
Saturday March 4, 2023
Sunday March 5, 2023
Monday March 6, 2023
Tuesday March 7, 2023
Wednesday March 8, 2023
Thursday March 9, 2023
Friday March 10, 2023
Saturday March 11, 2023
Sunday March 12, 2023
Monday March 13, 2023
Tuesday March 14, 2023
Wednesday March 15, 2023
Thursday March 16, 2023
Friday March 17, 2023
Saturday March 18, 2023
Sunday March 19, 2023
Monday March 20, 2023
Tuesday March 21, 2023
Wednesday March 22, 2023
Thursday March 23, 2023
Friday March 24, 2023
Saturday March 25, 2023
Sunday March 26, 2023
Monday March 27, 2023
Tuesday March 28, 2023
Wednesday March 29, 2023

 

 

 
All illustrations by Mort Künstler. Text by Michael Aubrecht, Dee Brown, Henry Steele Commager, Rod Gragg, Mort Künstler, Edward Lengel, James McPherson, and James I. Robertson, Jr. - Copyright © 2001-2019. All Rights Reserved. No part of the contents of this web site may be reproduced or utilized in any form by any means without written consent of the artist.