2003-003A
Launch of STS-107, originally planned for July 2002, was delayed just prior to VAB rollover when cracks were found inside fuel lines on Atlantis and Discovery. The launch was eventually carried out in Jan 2003. During ascent, a large piece of SOFI insulation from the ET hit the port wing. It separated at T+1:21.7, and 0.2s later hit the wing at around RCC panel 8 with a relative velocity of around 0.2 km/s (gained by the high drag on the light piece of foam), puncturing the RCC and providing an entry path for hot gas.
After two weeks of successful science on orbit, the Columbia reentered the atmosphere heading for RW33 at KSC. At around 1355 UTC controllers noticed several unrelated sensors go down, and at 1359 UTC they commented to the crew about readings from the main gear break pressure sensors. As the crew were in the middle of replying, voice and telemetry suddenly were lost. The final telemetry shows functioning APUs but empty hydraulic systems.
Launch mass was 119612 kg. Landing mass would have been 106103 kg and EI mass was 106356 kg. On orbit mass after OMS-2 was 115710 kg. Prop load (OMS/RCS) was 12540 kg. Payload mass per QL summary is 11029 kg; Spacehab was 8197 kg at deorbit time (up to but not including Tunnel Adapter). Middeck science cargo was 360 kg. Engines are 2055/2053/2049; tank ET-93A (light weight tank) and BI-116PF.
A 0.3 x 0.4m debris object separated on Jan 17 and reentered on Jan 19. It may have been the critical RCC carrier panel.
| STS-107 | |||
| Date | Time | Event | Orbit |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2002 Apr 25 | EDO installed | ||
| 2002 Nov? | Roll to VAB | ||
| 2002 Dec 9 | Roll to LC39A | ||
| 2003 Jan 16 | 1538:55 | SSME ignition | |
| 1539:00 | Launch | KSC LC39A | |
| 1540:21.9 | T+80s foam hits left wing | ||
| 1541:06 | SRB sep | ||
| 1541:08 | RCS window protect 2s | ||
| 1541:16 | OMS assist 1:42 | ||
| 1542:59 | OMS CO | ||
| 1547:22 | T+8:22 MECO command | ||
| 1547:33 | T+8:33 MECO | 78 x 272 x 39.0 | |
| 1547:44 | ET sep | ||
| 1547:57 | ET Photo +X RCS | ||
| 1549:24 | MPS dump | ||
| 1551:24 | MPS dump complete | ||
| 1620:24 | OMS-2 2:00 56.6m/s | 82 x 288 x 39.0 (OMS dV) | |
| 1622:24 | OMS 2 CO | 90.14 272 x 289 x 39.0 | |
| 1654 | Attitude change for PLBD open | ||
| 1736:01 | PLBD open | ||
| ET impact at 2.28N 139.42W | |||
| 1754 | Ku deploy | ||
| 1847 | Port radiator deploy | ||
| 2003 Jan 17 | 90.13 272 x 289 x 39.0 | ||
| 1442 | Yaw mvr bay-to-earth, tail-forward bias 48deg | ||
| 1517 | Yaw mvr, bay-to-earth, tail-forward | ||
| 1517? | Debris object 2003-03B separates (1530 to 1600 UTC) | ||
| 1625 | Fuel cell purge | ||
| 2139 | Water dump | ||
| 2003 Jan 19 | 2239 | Port radiator stow | |
| 2003 Jan 20 | |||
| 2003 Jan 21 | 90.05 270 x 284 x 39.0 | ||
| 2003 Jan 26 | 89.98 266 x 279 x 39.0 | ||
| 2003 Jan 29 | 89.94 265 x 277 x 39.0 | ||
| 2003 Jan 31 | 89.92 263 x 276 x 39.0 | ||
| 2003 Feb 1 | 89.90 263 x 275 x 39.0 | ||
| 1049:11 | PLBD closed | ||
| 1315:30 | OMS DO 2:38 78.6m/s | ||
| 1318:08 | OMS DO CO | 1 x 275 x 39.0 | |
| 8.3 x 295.6 x 39.0 (MR) | |||
| 1344:09 | Entry interface 120.400 km | ||
| 1348:39 | Left wing LESS strain gauge increase | ||
| 1348:59 | RCC 9/10 attach clevis temp sensor trend | ||
| 1349:07 | Closed loop guidance | ||
| 1349:32 | Begin right roll | ||
| 1349:39 | Four left OMS temp lower than predicted | ||
| 1350:00 | First comm dropout (debris) | ||
| 1350:43 | 5th (last) comm dropout | ||
| 1350:53 | Peak heating begins 74.081 km | ||
| 1351:14 | Heating near panels 9-10, leading edge spar temp | ||
| 1351:14 | Wing spar breach between :14 and :59 | ||
| 1352:05 | Elevon trim adjusted to adapt to yaw torque | ||
| 1352:09 | Comm droput | ||
| 1352:17 | Left main gear brake line temp sensors show rise, 72.1 km | ||
| 1352:25 | Elevon transient | ||
| 1352:25? | Comm droput | ||
| 1352:31 | Elevon transient | ||
| 1352:31 | Comm droput | ||
| 1352:44 | Roll/yaw coeffs change - extra drag | ||
| 1352:49 | Comm droput | ||
| 1352:59? | Gas plume burns through wiring in wing outside wheel well | ||
| 1352:59 | Elevon skin temp sensor off line | ||
| 1353:01 | Trim adjust for roll moment | ||
| 1353:28 | Crosses California coast, left fuselage temp rise | ||
| 1353:32 | Comm droput | ||
| 1353:46 | Upper wing skin breach and separation? | ||
| 1353:46 | Debris shedding observed from ground | ||
| 1353:46 | Main gear brake line temp rise | ||
| 1354:00 | Wheel well wall melting | ||
| 1354:11 | End of observed debris shedding | ||
| 1354:20 | Elevons moving to counteract increasing drag | ||
| 1354:22 | Midfuselage left body line temp x=1215 rise | ||
| Wing deformation now significant | |||
| 1354:33 | First bright flash observed from ground | ||
| 1354:35 | Debris object 6 separates, 100 kg? | ||
| 1354:37 | Visual flash | ||
| 1355:04 | Flash, first of 10 more | ||
| 1355:21 | Increasing drag, 68.3 km | ||
| 1356:00 | Flash, last of 10; comm droput | ||
| 1356:16 | Hot gas in wheel well | ||
| 1356:20 | Upper/lower wing skin temps off line | ||
| 1356:30 | 67.0 km, first roll reversal bank | ||
| 1356:55 | Complete first roll reversal, in left bank | ||
| 1357:11 | Bank to left | ||
| 1357:14 | Kirtland photo shows flow disturbance | ||
| 1357:19 | Tire pressure bit flips | ||
| 1357:35 | Elevon roll trim increased due to left wing drag 65.8 km | ||
| 1358:03 | Major change to dynamic pressure | ||
| 1358:03 | Sharp elevon motions | ||
| 1358:33 | Left gear tire pressures off line | ||
| 1358:39 | Crew tire pressure alarm | ||
| 1359:23 | Loss of realtime telemetry at MCC | ||
| 1359:26 | Increasing left wing drag, more deformation | ||
| 1359 | Increasing attitude rates | ||
| 1359:30 | RCS yaw due to drag | ||
| 1359:31 | 8 degree elevon motion due to drag | ||
| 1359:32 | Last comment from CDR; 61.2 km; LOS | ||
| 1359:36 | Drag forces left wing to roll down | ||
| 1359:38 | Orbiter loss of signal and of control; M=18.16, 61.193 km (early CAIB) | ||
| 1359:46 | Roll reference warning message | ||
| 1359:46 | Large debris event (L OMS pod cover?, Deb A) | ||
| 1359:52 | OMS-L alarm, L OMS pod separates (Deb D) | ||
| 1400:02 | Hand controller possibly engaged? | ||
| 1400:02 | Last telemetry fragment, for 2s | ||
| 1400:02 | Debris B, C left wing portions | ||
| 1400:04 | Left wing separated | ||
| 1400:04 | End of telemetry | ||
| 1400:05 | PLT attempt APU restart | ||
| 1400:11 | OMS tank ruptures | ||
| 1400:14 | Loss of MADS data | ||
| 1400:17 | Debris B | ||
| 1400:18 | Debris C | ||
| 1400:18 | Vehicle catastrophic breakup | ||
| PLBD fails | |||
| Forebody breaks off | |||
| 1400:25 | Forebody separated, 55.1 km | ||
| 1400:27 | Right wing separated | ||
| 1400:30 | Ground video shows multiple contrails | ||
| 1400:31 | Spacehab separates | ||
| 1400:34 | Vertical tail separates | ||
| 1400:34 | Aft fuselage sep | ||
| 1400:35 | Cabin is depressurized | ||
| 1400:43 | Tunnel adapter sep | ||
| 1400:48 | SPACEHAB breakup (D22) | ||
| 1400:50 | SSMEs separate | ||
| 1400:53 | Crew module breakup 42 km | ||
| Middeck destroyed | |||
| 1401:07 | Middeck accom. Rack sep | ||
| 1401:08 | Flight deck destroyed | ||
| 1401:10 | End of cabin destruction, 32 km | ||
| 1404 | First reports of trail debris | ||
| 1414 | Contingency declared | ||
| 1435 | All debris on ground | ||
| 1526 | First reports of ground debris | ||
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