Space Shuttle Columbia Explosion
The Space Shuttle Columbia tragedy occurred on February 1, 2003, when the Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102) destroyed as it reentered the atmosphere, killing all seven members of the crew. After the Challenger catastrophe in 1986, this was the second tragic event in the Space Shuttle program.
The CAIB released their report on the accident on August 26, 2003. The report confirmed that insulating foam shed during launch produced a break in the leading edge of the left wing, which was the immediate cause of the disaster. The investigation also looked into the underlying organizational and cultural factors that contributed to the accident. NASA's decision-making and risk-assessment systems were heavily criticized in the report. It was decided that the organizational structure and processes were so defective that a safety compromise was inevitable, regardless of who was in charge of critical decision-making positions.
According to the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronotika Sciences, the total cost of accidents (excluding replacement of round-trip transportation) is projected to be 13 billion dollars.
Total loss: $13 billion
