© 2024 New Hampshire Public Radio

Persons with disabilities who need assistance accessing NHPR's FCC public files, please contact us at publicfile@nhpr.org.

Support

Play Live Radio

Next Up:

0:00

0:00

0:00 0:00

Available On Air Stations

Make a sustaining gift today for your chance to win a trip to Hawaii!

NASA E-Mail: Engineers Pondered Shuttle Breakup

NPR

By Richard Harris

Published February 26, 2003 at 12:00 AM EST

NASA releases e-mails demonstrating that a day before space shuttle Columbia's demise, engineers privately worried about the impact of tile damage sustained at launch. The e-mails explored prophetic "what-if" scenarios that concluded the orbiter could lose its left wing and break up high in the atmosphere. Hear NPR's Richard Harris.

Copyright 2003 NPR

Tags

Latest from NPR

Richard Harris

Award-winning journalist Richard Harris has reported on a wide range of topics in science, medicine and the environment since he joined NPR in 1986. In early 2014, his focus shifted from an emphasis on climate change and the environment to biomedical research.

See stories by Richard Harris

Related Content

Everything is the worst in this 'Banal Nightmare'

Gabino Iglesias

Novelist Halle Butler understands our worst enemy is sometimes our own brain. Her dark, chaotic novel manages to be often hilarious yet relentlessly uncheerful.
Some babysitters are forever — just ask 'Señora Mimí'

Samantha Balaban

Ana is so excited that her abuela is coming to live with her — until it means saying goodbye to her babysitter. No More Señora Mimí is an ode to caregivers from Meg Medina and Brittany Cicchese.
Mother of Georgia shooting suspect called school to warn of emergency, aunt says

The Associated Press

The mother of the suspect had called the Georgia high school before the fatal shooting of four people, warning staff of an “extreme emergency” involving her son, a relative told the Washington Post.
3 Israelis killed in attack at West Bank-Jordan border crossing, Israeli military says

The Associated Press

The Israeli military said a gunman approached the Allenby Bridge Crossing from the Jordanian side in a truck and opened fire at Israeli security forces, who killed the assailant in a shootout.
Here’s where Trump and Harris stand on 6 education issues

Cory Turner

From school choice to college affordability, Trump and Harris don't have a lot in common. Ahead of the candidates’ only scheduled debate, we’ve put together a handy primer of their education views.

You make NHPR possible.

NHPR is nonprofit and independent. We rely on readers like you to support the local, national, and international coverage on this website. Your support makes this news available to everyone.

Give today. A monthly donation of $5 makes a real difference.