The Final Moments of the Columbia Space Shuttle Mission

🚀The tape captures the flight-deck audio and video recorded by the crew of the Columbia space shuttle during their planned landing.

🔊The audio and video footage provides valuable information for post-flight analysis and crew training.

🌍The tape covers the period from the deorbit burn to just minutes before the first failure, giving insights into the final moments of the mission.

🏞️The crew is seen going through nominal entry preparations, including donning their gloves, fluid loading, and checking suit pressure integrity.

🌟Plasma effects and flashes observed outside the windows are typical to a normal shuttle night reentry.

What does the tape record?

—The tape records the flight-deck audio and video of the crew during the Columbia space shuttle's planned landing.

Why is the tape important?

—The tape is important for post-flight analysis and crew training, providing valuable insights into the final moments of the mission.

What period does the tape cover?

—The tape covers the period from the deorbit burn to just minutes before the first failure was observed on the ground.

What preparations are shown in the tape?

—The tape shows the crew going through nominal entry preparations, including donning gloves, fluid loading, and checking suit pressure integrity.

What are the plasma effects and flashes mentioned?

—The plasma effects and flashes mentioned are typical to a normal shuttle night reentry and are observed outside the windows.

00:41Introduction by Scott Altman, the mission commander of Columbia's previous mission and part of the NASA team investigating the mishap.

00:44Flight-deck audio and video recorded by the crew during the Columbia's planned landing, covering nominal entry preparations and plasma effects observed outside the windows.

01:25Continuation of the tape, showcasing the crew's activities and plasma effects.

02:02Recording ends, with only the initial 13 minutes recovered. The rest of the tape was likely destroyed during the mishap.