NASA also had more camera views of the shuttle during liftoff to better monitor foam shedding.ĭue to more foam loss than expected, the next shuttle flight did not take place until July 2006. In July 2005, STS-114 lifted off and tested a suite of new procedures, including one where astronauts used cameras and a robotic arm to scan the shuttle's belly for broken tiles. The shuttle's external tank was redesigned, and other safety measures were implemented. Returning to flight and retiring the space shuttle program It is in the nation's interest to replace the shuttle as soon as possible,' the report stated. 'The shuttle is now an aging system but still developmental in character. It also called for more predictable funding and political support for the agency, and added that the shuttle must be replaced with a new transportation system. 'Cultural traits and organizational practices detrimental to safety were allowed to develop,' the board wrote, citing 'reliance on past success as a substitute for sound engineering practices' and 'organizational barriers that prevented effective communication of critical safety information' among the problems found.ĬAIB recommended NASA ruthlessly seek and eliminate safety problems, such as the foam, to ensure astronaut safety in future missions. See how the Columbia shuttle accident occurred in this infographic. 1, 2003, in a tragic disaster that killed the shuttle's seven-astronaut crew. NASA's space shuttle Columbia was destroyed during re-entry on Feb. 'This is indeed a tragic day for the NASA family, for the families of the astronauts who flew on STS-107, and likewise is tragic for the nation,' stated NASA's administrator at the time, Sean O'Keefe. Later that day, NASA declared the astronauts lost. Shortly afterward, NASA declared a space shuttle 'contingency' and sent search and rescue teams to the suspected debris sites in Texas and later, Louisiana. The caller said a television network was showing a video of the shuttle breaking up in the sky. Twelve minutes later, when Columbia should have been making its final approach to the runway, a mission controller received a phone call. Mission Control made several attempts to get in touch with the astronauts, with no success. At 8:59:32 a.m., Husband called back from Columbia: 'Roger,' followed by a word that was cut off in mid-sentence.Īt that point, Columbia was near Dallas, traveling 18 times the speed of sound and still 200,700 feet (61,170 meters) above the ground. The Capcom, or spacecraft communicator, called up to Columbia to discuss the tire pressure readings. This image was received by NASA as part of the Columbia accident investigation. The image was taken at approximately 7:57 a.m. 1, 2003, as it passed by the Starfire Optical Range, Directed Energy Directorate, Air Force Research Laboratory, Kirtland Air Force Base, New Mexico. Great local museum! Took our daughter when she was 3 and she loved it.This image is a view of the underside of Columbia during its entry from mission STS-107 on Feb. Staff was helpful, and we enjoyed the optional audio tour. Exhibits focusing on tourism were a close second favorite. I particularly enjoyed all the information about Florida’s citrus industry.

The exhibits were interesting and well put together. I just have to tell you what a spectacular time our classes had today! The kids talked about it all afternoon, and all of our teachers raved about it! How early is too early to book for next year? Teacher Judy Lindquist, Andover Elementary School

Every staff member has been kind, talented and prepared – and helped nurture my daughter’s love of invention and creation. I want to thank the staff at the History Center for my daughter’s experience this summer. As always, we welcome your participation and encourage you to share your thoughts through our contact form. This work takes thoughtful time and care, and we go forward with dedication to building strong relationships across the community and engaging in meaningful conversations. We also continue to offer more diverse programming and special exhibitions on topics we plan to include in our future visitor experience. We are honored by our national awards, Smithsonian Affiliation, and accreditation by the American Alliance of Museums, and have spent the past several years researching and growing our collection to better reflect the experience of our entire Central Florida community. Much has changed since the History Center opened more than two decades ago.

We’re deep in the exploration stages of fully renovating and updating our current exhibitions and seeking ways to expand the History Center.

The Orange County Regional History Center is working to build an even better experience while we continue to recover from the pandemic’s considerable effects on our resources.

Nasa florida history