Columbia - Debris Strikes the Orbiter

One of the most dangerous parts of a shuttle mission is when Houston gives the order to "go at throttle up."  (5:03 into the clip.)  It is that directive which tells the crew to increase their speed for the final push into space. Their escape velocity, at that stage of flight, is nearly ten times the speed of sound.

About eighty two seconds into Columbia's last mission, after Commander Rick Husband executed "go at throttle up," a piece of insulation from the external fuel tank dislodged and fell away, striking the leading edge of the orbiter's left wing.

This video, at about 7:00 into the clip, reveals what NASA managers discovered the day after launch.

Credits

Clip from "Columbia's Last Flight" - from the series "Seconds from Disaster" - online, courtesy National Geographic Channel at YouTube.

Director:
Sid Bennett

Producer:
Anna Kirkwood

Original broadcast:
June 28, 2005 - Season 2 of "Seconds from Disaster," Episode 1