Columbia (STS-107)

The Space Shuttle Columbia (STS-107) was a NASA mission launched in January 2003 to conduct scientific experiments in space. On February 1, 2003, during re-entry into Earth's atmosphere, the shuttle disintegrated, resulting in the tragic loss of all seven crew members. The disaster was caused by damage sustained during launch when a piece of foam insulation struck the shuttle's wing, creating a hole that allowed hot atmospheric gases to penetrate during re-entry. The tragedy led to extensive investigations and significant changes in NASA's safety procedures to improve crew safety and prevent future accidents.