[FPSPACE] Columbia report released...about the astronauts

[Peter Pesavento]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20081230/ap_on_re_us/columbia_astronauts/print

 

NASA reports graphic details of Columbia deaths

56 mins ago 

WASHINGTON - A new NASA report says that the seat restraints, suits and
helmets of the doomed crew of the space shuttle Columbia didn't work well,
leading to "lethal trauma" as the out-of-control ship broke apart, killing
all seven astronauts.

In a graphic 400-page report, NASA further studied the Feb. 1, 2003, shuttle
tragedy to help them design their new shuttle replacement capsule more
likely to survive an accident.

The report said it wasn't clear if the astronauts were already dead or just
unconscious from the lethal lack of cabin pressure before the blunt force of
the spinning out-of-control shuttle would have killed them. The report
detailed five "events" that were potentially lethal to the crew.

Columbia disintegrated as it returned to Earth at the end of its space
mission. The accident was caused by a hole in the shuttle's left wing that
occurred at launched. Killed in the disaster were commander Rick Husband,
pilot William McCool, Michael Anderson, David Brown, Kalpana Chawla, Laurel
Clark, and Ilan Ramon of Israel.

 

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