Space Shuttle Columbia

The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first reuseable American Space shuttle orbiter named for the first American ocean vessel to circle the globe and the command module for the Apollo 11 Moon lander, Columbia.

Columbia first flew in April 1981, and would be the most used shuttle orbiter until it's loss in 2003 when a piece of foam insulation from the Shuttle's External Fuel Tank stuck the orbiter's leading edge of the wing. Upon re-entry following the flight of STS-107, the shuttle disintegrated due to the high heat that built up, killing all seven astronauts aboard.[1]

## References[edit]

1. ↑ Space Shuttle Overview: Columbia (OV-102). Retrieved on May 16, 2015.