8 februari 2003. Vid Kennedy Space Center i Florida är det fullt av folk. Rymdfärjan Columbia ska återvända till jorden efter 16 dagar i rymden, och familjer och personal har samlats för att välkomna astronauterna tillbaka. Men färjan dyker aldrig upp. Och snart kommer rapporter om märkliga ljusfenomen över Arizona och New Mexico. Ljusfenomen som en gång var en rymdfarkost.
Detta är berättelsen om Columbia-katastrofen. Ett rutinmässigt uppdrag, som slutade i tragedi.
Inläsare: Tind Soneby
Manus och research: Emmeli Nyblom
Redaktör: Alex Haeger
Producent: Oliver Bergman
Källor:
Astronauts Memorial Foundation. Evelyn Husband Thompson. (2024-01-29). https://www.amfcse.org/board-of-directors/evelyn-husband-thompson (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
ABC News. Profile of Columbia Commander Rick Husband. (2003-02-01). https://abcnews.go.com/US/story?id=90109&page=1 (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
ABC News (b). Feb. 1, 2003: Space shuttle Columbia disaster [Filmklipp]. YouTube. (Publicerad 2003-02-01, publicerad på Youtube 2024-02-01). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-euNiLdcu_I (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
CNN. In pictures: Space Shuttle Columbia’s final flight. (Uppdaterad 2024-04-12). https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/05/us/gallery/space-shuttle-columbia-final-flight (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
CNN (Editorial Research). Space Shuttle Columbia Fast Facts. (Uppdaterad 2023-01-17). https://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/30/us/space-shuttle-columbia-fast-facts (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Denver Post (The Associated press). 10 years after Columbia disaster, family members remember. (Uppdaterad 2016-04-30). https://www.denverpost.com/2013/01/30/10-years-after-columbia-disaster-family-members-remember/ (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Dobrijevic, D. & Howell, E. Space Shuttle Columbia.
Space.com. (2021-10-26). https://www.space.com/18008-space-shuttle-columbia.html (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Encyclopaedia Britannica (b). Space shuttle. (2025-05-16). https://www.britannica.com/technology/space-shuttle (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Encyclopaedia Britannica (a). Challenger disaster. (u.å.). https://www.britannica.com/event/Challenger-disaster (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
European Space Agency. Space Shuttle Columbia – Information Note No. 1. (2003-02-02). https://www.esa.int/Science_Exploration/Human_and_Robotic_Exploration/Space_Shuttle_Columbia_-_Information_Note_No._1 (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Hall, J. L. Columbia and Challenger: organizational failure at NASA. (2003). Astronomy Department/School of Information Management and Systems, Astronomy Department,
University of California at Berkeley. Elsevier Ltd. DOI: 10.1016/j.spacepol.2003.08.013 https://josephhall.org/papers/nasa.pdf?utm_source=chatgpt.com
Kershaw, S. Families lost more than heroes in shuttle tragedy.
The New York Times. (2003-02-16). https://www.nytimes.com/2003/02/16/us/loss-shuttle-mood-shuttle-disaster-families-lost-more-than-mere-heroes.html (/ här kan man också nå den: https://eu.gainesville.com/story/news/2003/02/16/families-lost-more-than-heroes-in-shuttle-tragedy/31628368007/) (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Kjerside Poulsen, M. NASA – Bakgrunden till NASA.
Illustrerad Vetenskap. (2015-01-12). https://illvet.se/universum/rymdresor/nasa-bakgrunden-till-nasa (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Kridler, C. & Halvorson, T. Picking Up the Pieces: Solving the Columbia Mystery.
Space.com. (2005-07-04). https://www.space.com/1282-picking-pieces-solving-columbia-mystery.html (Hämtad 2025-06-26).
Mangan, L. The Space Shuttle That Fell to Earth review – the finest possible tribute to the astronauts who lost their lives.
The Guardian. (2024-02-12). https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2024/feb/12/the-space-shuttle-that-fell-to-earth-review-a-moving-tribute-to-the-astronauts-who-lost-their-lives-in-the-columbia-disaster (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
NASA (a). 40 Years Ago: The Launch of STS-1 Just Two Weeks Away. (u.å.) https://www.nasa.gov/history/40-years-ago-the-launch-of-sts-1-just-two-weeks-away/ (Hämtad: 2025-06-25).
NASA (b). Columbia Accident Investigation Board Report Volume I. The Government Printing Office, Washington DC. (2003). https://ntrs.nasa.gov/api/citations/20030066167/downloads/20030066167.pdf (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
NASA (c). (Uri, J). 20 Years Ago: Remembering Columbia and Her Crew, 2023-01-26, https://www.nasa.gov/history/20-years-ago-remembering-columbia-and-her-crew/?utm_source=chatgpt.com (hämtad 2025-06-25).
P3 Dokumentär. Rymdfärjan Columbia och dödskraschen [Podcast]. Sveriges Radio. (2024-08-22). https://www.sverigesradio.se/avsnitt/ny-p3-dokumentar-rymdfarjan-columbia-och-dodskraschen (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Rice University. John F. Kennedy Moon Speech – Rice Stadium. Rice University. (u.å.). https://www.rice.edu/jfk-speech (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Riley, P. Timeline of the Space Race 1957-69.
Encyclopedia Brittanica. (Uppdaterad 2025-06-13). https://www.britannica.com/story/timeline-of-the-space-race (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Royal Museums Greenwich. Why did we stop going to the Moon? (u.å.). https://www.rmg.co.uk/stories/space-astronomy/why-did-we-stop-going-moon (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Strickland, A. More than 20 years later, families of the Columbia crew carry on their loved ones’ legacies.
CNN. (Uppdaterad 2024-04-12). https://edition.cnn.com/2024/04/12/world/nasa-columbia-shuttle-crew-families-scn (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
The Guardian. ‘Lock the doors’ – words that marked loss of hope for shuttle. (2003-02-13). https://www.theguardian.com/world/2003/feb/13/columbia.spaceexploration (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Tilley, J. Rick Husband: Life and Legacy of the STS-107 Columbia Commander, uppdaterad 2020-01-16,
Texas State Historical Association, https://www.tshaonline.org/handbook/entries/husband-rick-douglas (hämtad 2025-06-25).
Tillman, N.T. The First Space Shuttle Flight Into Space.
Space.com. (2019-05-07). https://www.space.com/16793-first-space-shuttle-launch.html (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
TT. 30 år sedan rymdfärjan Challenger exploderade.
Epoch Times. (2016-01-27). https://www.epochtimes.se/30-ar-sedan-rymdfarjan-challenger-exploderade (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
TV4 Nyhetsmorgon. Stefan Borg blev ögonvittne till katastrofen när Challengers sprängdes [TV-program]. (2016-01-28). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UkmgTR4Jp6s (Hämtad 2025-06-25).
Workman, K. The Challenger Space Shuttle Disaster, 30 Years Later. The New York Times. (2016-01-28). https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2016/01/29/science/space/challenger-explosion-30-year-anniversary.html (hämtad 2025-06-25).