Published February 2nd, 2003 by Jim O'Halloran
Space Shuttle Lost
1416 GMT (9:16 a.m. EST)
This was the time of Columbia’s landing. What we know is contact was lost with the shuttle at about 9 a.m. EST and a sighting by residents in Texas reported a debris cloud following the plasma trail as Columbia streaked overhead.
Spaceflight Now has excelent coverage of yesterday’s loss of the Space Shuttle Columbia.
Time’s science correspondent offers his theory.
There are three possible scenarios that explain this event. The first, which I believe is the likeliest explanation, would be an aerodynamic structural breakup of the shuttle caused by it rolling at the wrong angle.
A former NASA flight controller, offers something slightly different.
The video shows a large object separating, then a flash and puff in the contrail and then the breakup. I believe the large object was the left wing and it was probably during a roll reversal. The left wing was struck by External Tank debris during Ascent. The wing leading edge temperature is ~3000 deg during Entry.