08. Why did Columbia explode when going through the atmosphere? (A K2S Question)

From The Space Library

Revision as of 06:23, 11 June 2014 by Mccoyrpm (Talk | contribs)
(diff) ←Older revision | Current revision (diff) | Newer revision→ (diff)
Jump to: navigation, search

The Columbia Space Shuttle broke up when it re-entered the atmosphere because it was moving at extremely high speed and its heat shield was damaged, which let in hot gases created by the high velocity of the vehicle passing though the atmosphere.

Answer provided by Robert P. McCoy, Ph.D.


Image:K2S logosmall.jpg Question and Answer extracted from the book Kids to Space - by Lonnie Schorer


Buy This Book Click here

Retrieved from "http://www.thespacelibrary.com/mediawiki/index.php/08._Why_did_Columbia_explode_when_going_through_the_atmosphere%3F_%28A_K2S_Question%29"