Space Shuttle Columbia disaster

High school (ages 12+)
History & Culture

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/space-shuttle-columbia-disaster

1. What is the orbiter?
2. What is the mission number?
3. What happened to the Space Shuttle Columbia when it was coming back to Earth?
4. Why did the Columbia break up during its return?

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the orbiter?Space Shuttle Columbia (OV-102)
2. What is the mission number?STS-107
3. What happened to the Space Shuttle Columbia when it was coming back to Earth?The shuttle broke apart because the heat and pressure from the upper atmosphere damaged its left wing, causing it to fall apart over Texas and Louisiana.
4. Why did the Columbia break up during its return?A piece of foam from the fuel tank hit the left wing, damaging its protective panels and letting hot air in, which made the wing fail.

Hypersonic Speeds: Speeds significantly exceeding the speed of sound, typically Mach 5 or greater.
Reinforced Carbon-Carbon (RCC): A composite material used for the leading edges and nose cap of the Space Shuttle orbiter to withstand extreme re-entry temperatures.
Organizational Culture: The shared values, beliefs, and behaviors that characterize an organization, influencing its decision-making and operations.
Systemic Failure: A failure that results from flaws in the design, processes, or management of a system, rather than a single component malfunction.