Talk:Space Shuttle Columbia disaster/timeline
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[edit] Timeline 1 (modified)
- 02:30 – The Entry Flight Control Team begins duty in the Mission Control Center.
- The Flight Control Team was not working on any issues or problems related to the planned de-orbit and re-entry of Columbia. In particular, the team indicated no concerns about the debris impact to the left wing during ascent, and treated the re-entry like any other. The team worked through the de-orbit preparation checklist and re-entry checklist procedures. Weather forecasters, with the help of pilots in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, evaluated landing-site weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center.
- 08:00 – Mission Control Center Entry Flight Director polls the Mission Control room for a GO/NO-GO decision for the de-orbit burn.
- At the time of the de-orbit decision, about 20 minutes before the initiation of the de-orbit burn, all weather observations and forecasts were within guidelines set by the flight rules, and all systems were normal.
- 08:10 – The Capsule Communicator notifies the crew that they are GO for de-orbit burn.
- 08:15:30 (EI-1719) – Commander Husband and Pilot McCool execute the de-orbit burn using Columbia’s two Orbital Maneuvering System engines.
- The Orbiter was upside down and tail-first over the Indian Ocean at an altitude of 175 statute miles (282 km) when the burn was executed. The de-orbit maneuver was performed on the 255th orbit, and the 2-minute, 38-second burn slowed the Orbiter from 17,500 mph (7.8 km/s) to begin its re-entry into the atmosphere. During the de-orbit burn, the crew felt about 10 percent of the effects of gravity. There were no problems during the burn, after which Husband maneuvered Columbia into a right-side-up, forward-facing position, with the Orbiter's nose pitched up.
- 08:44:09 (EI+000) – Entry Interface (EI), arbitrarily defined as the point at which the Orbiter enters the discernible atmosphere at 400,000 feet (120 km), occurs over the Pacific Ocean.
- As Columbia descended from space into the atmosphere, the heat produced by air molecules colliding with the Orbiter typically caused wing leading-edge temperatures to rise steadily, reaching an estimated 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1400 °C) during the next six minutes. As superheated air molecules discharged light, astronauts on the flight deck saw bright flashes envelop the Orbiter, a normal phenomenon.
- 08:48:39 (EI+270) – A sensor on the left wing leading edge spar shows strains higher than those seen on previous Columbia re-entries.
- This was recorded only on the Modular Auxiliary Data System, and was not telemetered to ground controllers or displayed to the crew.
- 08:49:32 (EI+323) – Columbia executes a pre-planned roll to the right.
- Speed: Mach 24.5.
- Columbia begins a banking turn to manage lift and therefore limit the Orbiter's rate of descent and heating.
- 08:50:53 (EI+404) – Columbia enters a 10-minute period of peak heating, during which the thermal stresses are at their maximum.
- Speed: Mach 24.1; altitude: 243,000 feet (74 km).
- 08:52:00 (EI+471) – Columbia is approximately 300 miles (500 km) west of the California coastline.
- The wing leading-edge temperatures usually reach 2,650 degrees Fahrenheit (1450 °C) at this point.
- 08:53:26 (EI+557) – Columbia crosses the California coast west of Sacramento.
- Speed: Mach 23; altitude: 231,600 feet (70.6 km).
- The Orbiter's wing leading edge typically reaches more than 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1540 °C) at this point. The Orbiter appears to observers on the ground as a bright spot of light moving rapidly across the sky.
- 08:53:46 (EI+597) – Signs of debris being shed are sighted.
- Speed: Mach 22.8; altitude: 230,200 feet (70.2 km).
- The superheated air surrounding the Orbiter suddenly brightens, causing a noticeable streak in the Orbiter's luminescent trail. Observers witness another four similar events during the following 23 seconds.
- 08:54:24 (EI+613) – The Maintenance, Mechanical, and Crew Systems (MMACS) officer informs the Flight Director that four hydraulic sensors in the left wing are indicating "off-scale low." In Mission Control, re-entry had been proceeding normally up to this point.
- "Off-scale low" is a reading that falls below the minimum capability of the sensor.
- The Entry Team continues to discuss the failed indicators.
- 08:54:25 (EI+614) – Columbia crosses from California into Nevada airspace.
- Speed: Mach 22.5; altitude: 227,400 feet (69.3 km).
- Witnesses observe a bright flash at this point and 18 similar events in the next four minutes.
- 08:55:00 (EI+651) – Nearly 11 minutes after Columbia had re-entered the atmosphere, wing leading-edge temperatures normally reach nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1650 °C).
- 08:55:32 (EI+683) – Columbia crosses from Nevada into Utah.
- Speed: Mach 21.8; altitude: 223,400 ft (68 km).
- 08:55:52 (EI+703) – Columbia crosses from Utah into Arizona.
- 08:56:30 (EI+741) – Columbia initiates a roll reversal, turning from right to left over Arizona.
- 08:56:45 (EI+756) – Columbia crosses from Arizona to New Mexico.
- Speed: Mach 20.9; altitude: 219,000 feet.
- 08:57:24 (EI+795) – Columbia crosses just north of Albuquerque.
- 08:58:00 (EI+831) – At this point, wing leading-edge temperatures typically decrease to 2,880 degrees Fahrenheit (1580 °C).
- 08:58:20 (EI+851) – Columbia crosses from New Mexico into Texas.
- Speed: Mach 19.5; altitude: 209,800 feet (64 km).
- At about this time, the Orbiter sheds a Thermal Protection System tile, the most westerly piece of debris that has been recovered. Searchers found the tile in a field in Littlefield, Texas, just northwest of Lubbock.
- 08:59:15 (EI+906) – MMACS informs the Flight Director that pressure readings have been lost on both left main landing-gear tires. The Flight Director then tells the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) to let the crew know that Mission Control saw the messages and was evaluating the indications, and added that the Flight Control Team did not understand the crew's last transmission.
- 08:59:32 (EI+923) – A broken response from the mission commander is recorded: "Roger, uh, bu - [cut off in mid-word] ..." It was the last communication from the crew and the last telemetry signal received in Mission Control.
- 09:00:18 (EI+969) – Videos made by observers on the ground reveal that the Orbiter is disintegrating.
- 09:05 – Residents of north central Texas report a loud boom, a small concussion wave, smoke trails and debris in the clear skies above the counties southeast of Dallas.
- More than 2,000 debris fields, as well as human remains, were found in sparsely populated areas southeast of Dallas from Nacogdoches in East Texas, where a lot of debris fell, to western Louisiana and the southwestern counties of Arkansas. This debris included live C. elegans worms from a science package that survived the re-entry. NASA issued warnings to the public that any debris could contain hazardous chemicals, that it should be left untouched, its location reported to local emergency services, or government authorities and that anyone in unauthorized possession of debris would be prosecuted.
- 09:12:39 (EI+1710) – After being told of reports of the shuttle's disintegration, the NASA flight director declares a contingency (events leading to loss of the vehicle) and alerts search and rescue teams in the area, telling all controllers to "lock the doors" or preserve all the mission data for later investigation.
[edit] Timeline 2
| Time (EI+) | Time (EST) | Event | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| 02:30 | The Entry Flight Control Team begins duty in the Mission Control Center. | The Flight Control Team was not working on any issues or problems related to the planned de-orbit and re-entry of Columbia. In particular, the team indicated no concerns about the debris impact to the left wing during ascent, and treated the re-entry like any other. The team worked through the de-orbit preparation checklist and re-entry checklist procedures. Weather forecasters, with the help of pilots in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, evaluated landing-site weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center. | |
| 08:00 | Mission Control Center Entry Flight Director polls the Mission Control room for a GO/NO-GO decision for the de-orbit burn. | At the time of the de-orbit decision, about 20 minutes before the initiation of the de-orbit burn, all weather observations and forecasts were within guidelines set by the flight rules, and all systems were normal. | |
| 08:10 | The Capsule Communicator notifies the crew that they are GO for de-orbit burn. | ||
| 08:15:30 | Commander Husband and Pilot McCool execute the de-orbit burn using Columbia’s two Orbital Maneuvering System engines. | The Orbiter was upside down and tail-first over the Indian Ocean at an altitude of 175 statute miles (282 km) when the burn was executed. The de-orbit maneuver was performed on the 255th orbit, and the 2-minute, 38-second burn slowed the Orbiter from 17,500 mph (7.8 km/s) to begin its re-entry into the atmosphere. During the de-orbit burn, the crew felt about 10 percent of the effects of gravity. There were no problems during the burn, after which Husband maneuvered Columbia into a right-side-up, forward-facing position, with the Orbiter's nose pitched up. | |
| +000 | 08:44:09 | Entry Interface (EI), arbitrarily defined as the point at which the Orbiter enters the discernible atmosphere at 400,000 feet (120 km), occurs over the Pacific Ocean. | As Columbia descended from space into the atmosphere, the heat produced by air molecules colliding with the Orbiter typically caused wing leading-edge temperatures to rise steadily, reaching an estimated 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1400 °C) during the next six minutes. As superheated air molecules discharged light, astronauts on the flight deck saw bright flashes envelop the Orbiter, a normal phenomenon. |
| +270 | 08:48:39 | A sensor on the left wing leading edge spar shows strains higher than those seen on previous Columbia re-entries. | This was recorded only on the Modular Auxiliary Data System, and was not telemetered to ground controllers or displayed to the crew. |
| +323 | 08:49:32 | Traveling at approximately Mach 24.5, Columbia executes a pre-planned roll to the right. | Columbia begins a banking turn to manage lift and therefore limit the Orbiter's rate of descent and heating. |
| +404 | 08:50:53 | Traveling at Mach 24.1 and at approximately 243,000 feet (74 km), Columbia enters a 10-minute period of peak heating, during which the thermal stresses are at their maximum. | |
| +471 | 08:52:00 | Columbia is approximately 300 miles (500 km) west of the California coastline. | The wing leading-edge temperatures usually reach 2,650 degrees Fahrenheit (1450 °C) at this point. |
| +557 | 08:53:26 | Columbia crosses the California coast west of Sacramento. | Traveling at Mach 23 and 231,600 feet (70.6 km), the Orbiter's wing leading edge typically reaches more than an estimated 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1540 °C) at this point. The Orbiter appears to observers on the ground as a bright spot of light moving rapidly across the sky. |
| +597 | 08:53:46 | Signs of debris being shed are sighted. | The superheated air surrounding the Orbiter suddenly brightens, causing a noticeable streak in the Orbiter's luminescent trail. Observers witness another four similar events during the following 23 seconds. |
| +613 | 08:54:24 | The Maintenance, Mechanical, and Crew Systems (MMACS) officer informs the Flight Director that four hydraulic sensors in the left wing are indicating "off-scale low." In Mission Control, re-entry had been proceeding normally up to this point. | "Off-scale low" is a reading that falls below the minimum capability of the sensor.
The Entry Team continues to discuss the failed indicators. |
| +614 | 08:54:25 | Columbia crosses from California into Nevada airspace. | The Orbiter is traveling at Mach 22.5 and 227,400 feet (69.3 km). Witnesses observe a bright flash at this point and 18 similar events in the next four minutes. |
| +651 | 08:55:00 | Nearly 11 minutes after Columbia had re-entered the atmosphere, wing leading-edge temperatures normally reach nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1650 °C). | |
| +683 | 08:55:32 | Columbia crosses from Nevada into Utah. | The Orbiter is traveling at Mach 21.8 and 223,400 ft (68 km). |
| +703 | 08:55:52 | Columbia crosses from Utah into Arizona. | |
| +741 | 08:56:30 | Columbia initiates a roll reversal, turning from right to left over Arizona. | |
| +756 | 08:56:45 | Columbia crosses from Arizona to New Mexico. | The Orbiter is traveling at Mach 20.9 and 219,000 feet. |
| +795 | 08:57:24 | Columbia crosses just north of Albuquerque. | |
| +831 | 08:58:00 | At this point, wing leading-edge temperatures typically decrease to 2,880 degrees Fahrenheit (1580 °C). | |
| +851 | 08:58:20 | Columbia crosses from New Mexico into Texas. | The orbiter is traveling at 209,800 feet (64 km) and Mach 19.5. At about this time, the Orbiter sheds a Thermal Protection System tile, the most westerly piece of debris that has been recovered. Searchers found the tile in a field in Littlefield, Texas, just northwest of Lubbock. |
| +906 | 08:59:15 | MMACS informs the Flight Director that pressure readings have been lost on both left main landing-gear tires. The Flight Director then tells the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) to let the crew know that Mission Control saw the messages and was evaluating the indications, and added that the Flight Control Team did not understand the crew's last transmission. | |
| +923 | 08:59:32 | A broken response from the mission commander is recorded: "Roger, uh, bu - [cut off in mid-word] ..." It was the last communication from the crew and the last telemetry signal received in Mission Control. | |
| +969 | 09:00:18 | Videos made by observers on the ground reveal that the Orbiter is disintegrating. | |
| 09:05 | Residents of north central Texas report a loud boom, a small concussion wave, smoke trails and debris in the clear skies above the counties southeast of Dallas. | More than 2,000 debris fields, as well as human remains, were found in sparsely populated areas southeast of Dallas from Nacogdoches in East Texas, where a lot of debris fell, to western Louisiana and the southwestern counties of Arkansas. This debris included live C. elegans worms from a science package that survived the re-entry. NASA issued warnings to the public that any debris could contain hazardous chemicals, that it should be left untouched, its location reported to local emergency services, or government authorities and that anyone in unauthorized possession of debris would be prosecuted. | |
| +1710 | 09:12:39 | After being told of reports of the shuttle's disintegration, the NASA flight director declares a contingency (events leading to loss of the vehicle) and alerts search and rescue teams in the area, telling all controllers to "lock the doors" or preserve all the mission data for later investigation. |
[edit] Timeline 3
| Event | Description |
|---|---|
| 02:30 – The Entry Flight Control Team begins duty in the Mission Control Center. | The Flight Control Team was not working on any issues or problems related to the planned de-orbit and re-entry of Columbia. In particular, the team indicated no concerns about the debris impact to the left wing during ascent, and treated the re-entry like any other. The team worked through the de-orbit preparation checklist and re-entry checklist procedures. Weather forecasters, with the help of pilots in the Shuttle Training Aircraft, evaluated landing-site weather conditions at the Kennedy Space Center. |
| 08:00 – Mission Control Center Entry Flight Director polls the Mission Control room for a GO/NO-GO decision for the de-orbit burn. | At the time of the de-orbit decision, about 20 minutes before the initiation of the de-orbit burn, all weather observations and forecasts were within guidelines set by the flight rules, and all systems were normal. |
| 08:10 – The Capsule Communicator notifies the crew that they are GO for de-orbit burn. | |
| 08:15:30 – Commander Husband and Pilot McCool execute the de-orbit burn using Columbia’s two Orbital Maneuvering System engines. | The Orbiter was upside down and tail-first over the Indian Ocean at an altitude of 175 statute miles (282 km) when the burn was executed. The de-orbit maneuver was performed on the 255th orbit, and the 2-minute, 38-second burn slowed the Orbiter from 17,500 mph (7.8 km/s) to begin its re-entry into the atmosphere. During the de-orbit burn, the crew felt about 10 percent of the effects of gravity. There were no problems during the burn, after which Husband maneuvered Columbia into a right-side-up, forward-facing position, with the Orbiter's nose pitched up. |
| 08:44:09 (EI+000) – Entry Interface (EI), arbitrarily defined as the point at which the Orbiter enters the discernible atmosphere at 400,000 feet (120 km), occurs over the Pacific Ocean. | As Columbia descended from space into the atmosphere, the heat produced by air molecules colliding with the Orbiter typically caused wing leading-edge temperatures to rise steadily, reaching an estimated 2,500 degrees Fahrenheit (1400 °C) during the next six minutes. As superheated air molecules discharged light, astronauts on the flight deck saw bright flashes envelop the Orbiter, a normal phenomenon. |
| 08:48:39 (EI+270) – A sensor on the left wing leading edge spar shows strains higher than those seen on previous Columbia re-entries. | This was recorded only on the Modular Auxiliary Data System, and was not telemetered to ground controllers or displayed to the crew. |
| 08:49:32 (EI+323) – Columbia executes a pre-planned roll to the right. | Speed: Mach 24.5. Columbia begins a banking turn to manage lift and therefore limit the Orbiter's rate of descent and heating. |
| 08:50:53 (EI+404) – Columbia enters a 10-minute period of peak heating, during which the thermal stresses are at their maximum. | Speed: Mach 24.1, altitude: 243,000 feet (74 km). |
| 08:52:00 (EI+471) – Columbia is approximately 300 miles (500 km) west of the California coastline. | The wing leading-edge temperatures usually reach 2,650 degrees Fahrenheit (1450 °C) at this point. |
| 08:53:26 (EI+557) – Columbia crosses the California coast west of Sacramento. | Speed: Mach 23, altitude: 231,600 feet (70.6 km). The Orbiter's wing leading edge typically reaches more than an estimated 2,800 degrees Fahrenheit (1540 °C) at this point. The Orbiter appears to observers on the ground as a bright spot of light moving rapidly across the sky. |
| 08:53:46 (EI+597) – Signs of debris being shed are sighted. | The superheated air surrounding the Orbiter suddenly brightens, causing a noticeable streak in the Orbiter's luminescent trail. Observers witness another four similar events during the following 23 seconds. |
| 08:54:24 (EI+613) – The Maintenance, Mechanical, and Crew Systems (MMACS) officer informs the Flight Director that four hydraulic sensors in the left wing are indicating "off-scale low." In Mission Control, re-entry had been proceeding normally up to this point. | "Off-scale low" is a reading that falls below the minimum capability of the sensor.
The Entry Team continues to discuss the failed indicators. |
| 08:54:25 (EI+614) – Columbia crosses from California into Nevada airspace. | Speed: Mach 22.5, altitude: 227,400 feet (69.3 km). Witnesses observe a bright flash at this point and 18 similar events in the next four minutes. |
| 08:55:00 (EI+651) – Nearly 11 minutes after Columbia had re-entered the atmosphere, wing leading-edge temperatures normally reach nearly 3,000 degrees Fahrenheit (1650 °C). | |
| 08:55:32 (EI+683) – Columbia crosses from Nevada into Utah. | Speed: Mach 21.8, altitude: 223,400 ft (68 km). |
| 08:55:52 (EI+703) – Columbia crosses from Utah into Arizona. | |
| 08:56:30 (EI+741) – Columbia initiates a roll reversal, turning from right to left over Arizona. | |
| 08:56:45 (EI+756) – Columbia crosses from Arizona to New Mexico. | Speed: Mach 20.9, altitude: 219,000 feet. |
| 08:57:24 (EI+795) – Columbia crosses just north of Albuquerque. | |
| 08:58:00 (EI+831) – At this point, wing leading-edge temperatures typically decrease to 2,880 degrees Fahrenheit (1580 °C). | |
| 08:58:20 (EI+851) – Columbia crosses from New Mexico into Texas. | Speed: Mach 19.5, altitude: 209,800 feet (64 km). At about this time, the Orbiter sheds a Thermal Protection System tile, the most westerly piece of debris that has been recovered. Searchers found the tile in a field in Littlefield, Texas, just northwest of Lubbock. |
| 08:59:15 (EI+906) – MMACS informs the Flight Director that pressure readings have been lost on both left main landing-gear tires. The Flight Director then tells the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM) to let the crew know that Mission Control saw the messages and was evaluating the indications, and added that the Flight Control Team did not understand the crew's last transmission. | |
| 08:59:32 (EI+923) – A broken response from the mission commander is recorded: "Roger, uh, bu - [cut off in mid-word] ..." It was the last communication from the crew and the last telemetry signal received in Mission Control. | |
| 09:00:18 (EI+969) – Videos made by observers on the ground reveal that the Orbiter is disintegrating. | |
| 09:05 – Residents of north central Texas report a loud boom, a small concussion wave, smoke trails and debris in the clear skies above the counties southeast of Dallas. | More than 2,000 debris fields, as well as human remains, were found in sparsely populated areas southeast of Dallas from Nacogdoches in East Texas, where a lot of debris fell, to western Louisiana and the southwestern counties of Arkansas. This debris included live C. elegans worms from a science package that survived the re-entry. NASA issued warnings to the public that any debris could contain hazardous chemicals, that it should be left untouched, its location reported to local emergency services, or government authorities and that anyone in unauthorized possession of debris would be prosecuted. |
| 09:12:39 (EI+1710) – After being told of reports of the shuttle's disintegration, the NASA flight director declares a contingency (events leading to loss of the vehicle) and alerts search and rescue teams in the area, telling all controllers to "lock the doors" or preserve all the mission data for later investigation. |
