July 15, 2003
Columbia´s Reconstruction
By ALYNIA RULE
STAFF WRITER
KENNEDY SPACE CENTER — Space Shuttle Columbia arrived at the Kennedy Space Center in March 1979. By July of this year, after 28 missions and 123 million miles in space, the charred remains of the orbiter lay in pieces in a hangar not far from the launch pad where it lifted off on its final journey.
Unlike its sister ship Challenger, which blew up during liftoff, Columbia was destroyed during re-entry, an accident many in the space program considered unthinkable.
Columbia burned from the inside as it returned from orbit Feb. 1. Experts believe hot plasma entered a breach in the leading edge of the left wing, probably caused by a piece of foam insulation hitting the shuttle during liftoff. The hot plasma destroyed the wing and caused the breakup of the shuttle, killing all seven astronauts aboard.
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Most of the wreckage fell over a 215-mile-long, 25-mile-wide area in Texas. But debris was found as far away as New Mexico and California. One and a half million man-hours were spent in the search and recovery of Columbia´s remains. More than 83,800 pieces have been retrieved so far, representing about 38 percent of the original weight of the shuttle.
The reconstruction began on Feb. 7 at a hangar at the Shuttle Landing Facility. I recently got an opportunity to see Columbia´s remains - the hangar is still off limits to the public - and was amazed at the reconstruction effort.
The hangar floor was marked off in a yellow grid, with blue lines representing the outline of the original shuttle. Each recovered piece has been placed within the outline, as close as possible to its original location on Columbia. Each piece, no matter the size, has an identification number. Technicians have been able to fit some pieces neatly together, but there are many empty spaces for pieces not yet recovered. To the untrained eye, every piece has been burned beyond recognition.
Some pieces are a little more easily identified. There were the front windows, the front tire, the nose cone, and even the top hatch that the crew used to enter the cargo bay. There were four other tires, the main hatch, internal consoles and the round data and supply containers. There were images of the Columbia next to some sections, showing where pieces were located on the intact shuttle. Along the way there was a NASA staff member ready to answer questions. Absent was the crew compartment.
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Inside the hangar, along the right wall were boxes and crates filled with debris the technicians couldn´t place. On the left were the shelves of containers that were marked according to possible location and experiment. Tests, examinations, theories and questions asked will be put to the puzzle of Columbia again and again.
A final report on the Columbia disaster is expected by the end of August. It was originally supposed to be done by the end of July but officials wanted more time to complete the final edit of the document.
At least half the report will deal with NASA management and cultural issues, officials said. The rest will deal with the technical details leading to Columbia´s destruction.
While the remains of Challenger were sealed in old missile silos, according to NASA the Columbia will remain in the reconstruction hangar for now. Her pieces will continue to be tagged and identified and when new items come in, they will be catalogued and put in their place, somewhere within those yellow and blue lines.
The Shuttle Columbia: Newspaper Activities
1. Courage can take many forms. Courage can be found in a single person or in a larger group, such as that of the astronauts on the Space Shuttle Columbia, who lost their lives when the shuttle blew up. Find articles in the newspaper that you think focus on courage, whether of a group or an individual. List the act(s) of courage on a piece of paper. Include your thoughts on what form or forms each act of courage took. Share your list with family and friends. LA.B.2.2.1, SS.A.1.2.1, SS.A.3.2.1
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2. The recent shuttle disaster was an important event in the history of space flight. Search the newspaper for other articles that you think mark important moments in history. Study the way each article was written. Then, write your own news story about an historical event at your school or in your community. Word process your story, if possible, and submit it for possible publication in a school or community newsletter. LA.A.2.2.1, LA.A.2.2.5, LA.B.2.2.3, LA.B.2.2.4, LA.B.2.2.6
3. The astronauts on the Space Shuttle Columbia were a diverse group. For example, participating in the Columbia´s final mission were women and men from several countries and many different cultures. How many different kinds of diversity can you think of? Look through the newspaper for articles, ads, photos, etc. that show different types of diversity. Clip your findings and use them to create a poster that promotes the many forms diversity can take. Challenge friends or classmates to identify the various types of diversity you found. FL.A.2.2.3, FL.A.3.2.2
4. Events surrounding the Columbia disaster caused a lot of speculation in the media. Some newspapers even published headlines that were misleading, in order to create more sensational stories. How many headlines can you find in today´s paper that can be interpreted different ways? Skim headlines found in The News-Journal and read the articles that follow. After reading, re-write any headlines that you feel sensationalistic, to make them more accurate and informative. LA.A.1.2.1, LA.A.1.2.2, LA.A.1.2.4, LA.A.2.2.1, LA.A.2.2.2, LA.A.2.2.5, LA.A.2.2.6. LA.B.2.2.1, LA.D.2.2.1, LA.D.2.2.2
5. Global or national events or disasters can impact our lives in far-reaching ways. Some events-like the 9/11 terrorist attacks on New York City and Washington D.C.-brought about immediate changes. For instance, heightened airport security was put into effect at once. Do changes such as this hinder our individual freedoms, or do they help to better protect them? Search The News-Journal for photos, advertisements, articles and other items that give evidence of events that have had a significant impact upon our lives. In your opinion, do your examples hinder or help to protect our rights? Discuss your findings with a friend or family member. SS.A.1.2.1, SS.C.1.2.2, SS.C.1.2.4, SS.C.2.2.3, SS.C.2.2.4, SS.C.2.2.5
Special Report: THE COLUMBIA CHRONICLES |  |