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次編輯
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無編輯摘要
== 事故遇难 ==
{{see also|哥伦比亚号航天飞机灾难}}
[[北美东部时间]]2003年2月1日，哥伦比亚号航天飞机完成任务，于8:15开始返航。哥伦比亚号于8:44[[再入]]大气层，按计划将于上午9:16着陆。进入大气层后，航天飞机逐渐出现一系列压力和温度异常，8:59左右在[[德克 萨 薩 斯州]]上空 约{{convert|200700|ft|m}}时与 約200,700英尺（61,200公尺）時與 地面控制中心失去 联系 聯繫 。上午9时，有地面目击者称看到返回的航天飞机分解成多个小亮点，伴有巨大的声响。地面控制团队最终于12分钟后得知哥伦比亚号航天飞机已在空中[[哥伦比亚号航天飞机灾难|解体]]，于是启动应急预案，展开搜救工作。此次任务总时长15天22小时20分钟。当天下午，美国宇航局证实，七名机组人员在此次事故中全部遇难。美国总统[[乔治·沃克·布什]]随后发表讲话告知国民哥伦比亚号事故中“没有幸存者”。<ref name="space disaster">{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/19436-columbia-disaster.html|title=Columbia Disaster: What Happened, What NASA Learned|publisher=Space.com|date=2013-02-01|accessdate=2016-12-04|first=Elizabeth|last=Howell|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160925054548/http://www.space.com/19436-columbia-disaster.html|archivedate=2016-09-25|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="CNN timeline">{{cite web|url=http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/01/sprj.colu.tictoc/|title=Timeline of the Columbia disaster|publisher=CNN|date=2003-02-02|accessdate=2016-12-06|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140111185701/http://edition.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/01/sprj.colu.tictoc/|archivedate=2014-01-11|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref name="NASA accident report">{{cite book|chapterurl=http://s3.amazonaws.com/akamai.netstorage/anon.nasa-global/CAIB/CAIB_lowres_chapter2.pdf|url=https://www.nasa.gov/columbia/home/CAIB_Vol1.html|title=Report of Columbia Accident Investigation Board, Volume I|publisher=NASA|author=The Columbia Accident Investigation Board|date=2003-08-26|accessdate=2016-12-04|chapter=Part One: The Accident, Chapter 2: Columbia's Final Flight|pages=38-44|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160417084315/http://s3.amazonaws.com/akamai.netstorage/anon.nasa-global/CAIB/CAIB_lowres_chapter2.pdf|archivedate=2016-04-17|deadurl=no}}</ref>
次日，七位宇航员的遗体都已尋獲，身份确认和相关调查工作也已经展开。<ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90896&page=1|title=Remains From All Columbia Astronauts Found|publisher=ABC News|date=2003-02-02|accessdate=2016-12-06|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160414111504/http://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90896&page=1|archivedate=2016-04-14|deadurl=no}}</ref>美国宇航局在日后发布的一份调查报告中显示，七位机组成员在航天飞机失控解体的几秒内失去意识，数十秒内已经全部死亡，死因是缺氧、暴露于高海拔环境以及航天飞机失控造成的钝器创伤。<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.space.com/6267-report-columbia-astronauts-killed-seconds.html |title=Report: Columbia Astronauts Killed in Seconds |publisher=Space.com |date=2008-12-30 |accessdate=2016-12-06 |first=Tariq |last=Malik |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160802155233/http://www.space.com/6267-report-columbia-astronauts-killed-seconds.html |archivedate=2016-08-02 |deadurl=no|quote=Exposure to high altitude and blunt trauma caused their deaths, the report states.}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=6549678&page=1 |title=NASA reports graphic details of Columbia deaths |publisher=ABC News |date=2008-12-30 |accessdate=2016-12-06 |first1=Seth |last1=Borenstein |author2=Associated Press |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160510165307/http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/story?id=6549678&page=1 |archivedate=2016-05-10 |deadurl=no|quote=... the astronauts died either from lack of oxygen during depressurization or from hitting something as the spacecraft spun violently out of control.}}</ref><ref name="NASA survival report">{{cite book|url=https://www.nasa.gov/pdf/298870main_SP-2008-565.pdf |title=Columbia Crew Survival Investigation Report |publisher=NASA |author=The Columbia Accident Investigation Board |date=2008-12-30 |accessdate=2016-12-06 |chapter=Chapter 3 Occupant Protection: 3.4 Crew Analysis |pages=3-71~3-73 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20160407002022/http://www.nasa.gov/pdf/298870main_SP-2008-565.pdf |archivedate=2016-04-07 |deadurl=no }}</ref>而事故发生原因是航天飞机发射时[[航天飞机外储箱|外储燃料箱]]表面脱落的绝热材料碎片击中左翼，损坏了[[航天飞机热防护系统|热防护系统]]。返航途中航天飞机摩擦大气层产生的大量热量因此烧穿了其外壳导致最终解体。<ref>{{cite web|last1=Dowling|first1=Stephen|title=What caused the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster?|url=http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150130-what-caused-the-columbia-disaster|publisher=BBC|accessdate=2017-08-28|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170711152314/http://www.bbc.com/future/story/20150130-what-caused-the-columbia-disaster|archivedate=2017-07-11|date=2015-01-30|deadurl=no}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|last1=Tate|first1=Karl|title=Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster Explained (Infographic)|url=https://www.space.com/19526-columbia-shuttle-disaster-explained-infographic.html|website=Space.com|accessdate=2017-08-28|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20170818020558/https://www.space.com/19526-columbia-shuttle-disaster-explained-infographic.html|archivedate=2017-08-18|date=2013-02-01|deadurl=no}}</ref>