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Space Shuttle Columbia disaster
Contributed by: Chadwick
  • 1. When did the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occur?
A) April 12, 1981
B) July 20, 1969
C) January 28, 1986
D) February 1, 2003
  • 2. Where did the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster occur?
A) Over Texas
B) Over Florida
C) Over New Mexico
D) Over California
  • 3. Which part of the Space Shuttle was damaged, leading to the disaster?
A) Right wing
B) Main engines
C) Left wing
D) Orbiter cabin
  • 4. How long was the Space Shuttle Columbia mission scheduled to last before the disaster?
A) 10 days
B) 7 days
C) 30 days
D) 16 days
  • 5. Who was the commander of the Space Shuttle Columbia during the disaster?
A) Kalpana Chawla
B) Michael Anderson
C) Rick Husband
D) Laurel Clark
  • 6. Which organization operated the Space Shuttle Columbia?
A) Roscosmos
B) CNSA
C) NASA
D) ESA
  • 7. In which year did the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster take place?
A) 2003
B) 1995
C) 1986
D) 2010
  • 8. What was the mission designation for the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster?
A) STS-107
B) STS-135
C) STS-51-L
D) STS-1
  • 9. How many astronauts were killed in the Columbia disaster?
A) Nine
B) Seven
C) Three
D) Five
  • 10. How many flights had the Space Shuttle fleet completed before the Columbia mission?
A) 112
B) 88
C) 113
D) 100
  • 11. What was the primary purpose of the STS-107 mission?
A) Deployment of a satellite into orbit.
B) Research in various fields, mainly on board the SpaceHab module.
C) Construction of the International Space Station.
D) Repairing the Hubble Space Telescope.
  • 12. What was NASA's reasoning for limiting the investigation before re-entry?
A) There were no tools available to fix any damage in space.
B) The investigation would take too long and delay the mission.
C) They reasoned that the crew could not have fixed the problem if it had been confirmed.
D) NASA believed the damage was minor and non-threatening.
  • 13. How long were Space Shuttle flight operations suspended after the Columbia disaster?
A) Six months
B) More than two years
C) Three weeks
D) One year
  • 14. What was added to subsequent missions as a result of the Columbia disaster?
A) A second crew compartment for safety.
B) Additional fuel tanks.
C) A new type of solid rocket booster.
D) An on-orbit inspection to check the thermal protection system.
  • 15. What was used as a haven if damage to the orbiter prevented safe re-entry after Columbia?
A) A backup orbiter
B) The International Space Station (ISS)
C) The Hubble Space Telescope
D) A rescue shuttle
  • 16. What material was used to protect the nose cone and leading edges of Columbia's wings?
A) White low-temperature reusable surface insulation
B) Composite material reinforced carbon–carbon (RCC)
C) Reusable felt surface insulation
D) Ablative heat shield
  • 17. What was the purpose of the insulating foam on the external tank?
A) To keep the liquid hydrogen and oxygen cold and prevent ice from forming.
B) To protect the orbiter during re-entry.
C) To provide structural support to the external tank.
D) To enhance aerodynamics during launch.
  • 18. What happened to the solid rocket boosters after they expended their fuel?
A) They were jettisoned into space.
B) They landed in the Pacific Ocean without parachutes.
C) They remained attached to the orbiter throughout re-entry.
D) They separated from the external tank and fell into the Atlantic Ocean under a parachute.
  • 19. What was the temperature limit for the orbiter's aluminum skin during re-entry?
A) Below 700 °F (370 °C)
B) Exactly 3,000 °F (1,600 °C)
C) Below 350 °F (180 °C)
D) Above 2,300 °F (1,300 °C)
  • 20. How many operational orbiters were built during the Space Shuttle program?
A) Three
B) Two
C) Seven
D) Five
  • 21. What caused damage to the orbiter Columbia during its first flight, STS-1?
A) An engine malfunction.
B) A bird strike.
C) A foam strike.
D) A lightning strike.
  • 22. How many missions out of 79 had available imagery showing foam strikes during launch?
A) 70 missions.
B) 50 missions.
C) 60 missions.
D) 65 missions.
  • 23. What were the dimensions of the foam on each bipod ramp?
A) 20 by 10 by 8 inches.
B) Approximately 30 by 14 by 12 inches (76 by 36 by 30 cm).
C) 40 by 20 by 15 inches.
D) 25 by 12 by 10 inches.
  • 24. On how many flights prior to STS-107 was bipod ramp foam observed falling off the ET?
A) Eight flights.
B) Six flights.
C) Three flights.
D) Ten flights.
  • 25. Which aspect was NOT investigated by one of the four CAIB teams?
A) The technical aspects of the disaster
B) NASA management and program safety
C) NASA training and crew operations
D) NASA's financial management
  • 26. What was the result of analyzing the tiles on Columbia's left wing?
A) The tiles melted due to internal heat.
B) The tiles were intact and undamaged.
C) The breach began at the wing's leading edge.
D) The damage occurred due to a mid-flight explosion.
  • 27. How did the crew members' bodies hit the ground?
A) With lethal force
B) Without any impact
C) Gently
D) At a low speed
  • 28. Who was the payload commander for STS-107?
A) Michael Anderson
B) Kalpana Chawla
C) Ilan Ramon
D) Laurel Clark
  • 29. Who informed the crew that they were approved to conduct the deorbit burn?
A) The Mission Control Center
B) William Readdy
C) Charlie Hobaugh, the Capsule Communicator (CAPCOM)
D) LeRoy Cain
  • 30. What event led to the suspension of the Space Shuttle program?
A) The loss of Columbia
B) Completion of the International Space Station
C) Budget cuts by NASA
D) Technical issues with Discovery
  • 31. Who initiated contingency procedures after Columbia did not land as scheduled?
A) The crew aboard Columbia
B) William Readdy alone
C) LeRoy Cain, the Entry Flight Director
D) Charlie Hobaugh
  • 32. When was the retirement of the Space Shuttle delayed to?
A) 2020
B) 2015
C) 2009
D) 2011
  • 33. By what percentage were NASA's program operating costs lowered from 1991 to 1994?
A) 30%
B) 21%
C) 10%
D) 15%
  • 34. Which Houston sports team honored the Columbia crew on Opening Day of baseball season in 2003?
A) Houston Rockets
B) Houston Astros
C) Houston Texans
D) Houston Dynamo
  • 35. At what time after launch did the foam strike Columbia's left wing?
A) T+60 seconds
B) T+81.9 seconds
C) T+120 seconds
D) T+100 seconds
  • 36. What was the size of the foam chunk that broke away during STS-112?
A) 3-by-4-by-9-inch.
B) 6-by-7-by-15-inch.
C) 4-by-5-by-12-inch (10 by 13 by 30 cm).
D) 5-by-6-by-14-inch.
  • 37. What was the name of the first Israeli astronaut on STS-107?
A) Ilan Ramon
B) Rick Husband
C) Kalpana Chawla
D) David Brown
  • 38. How many teams did the CAIB establish to investigate different aspects of the disaster?
A) Three teams
B) Four teams
C) Five teams
D) Six teams
  • 39. What experiment did astronauts Sellers and Fossum perform during STS-121?
A) Spacewalk endurance test
B) NonOxide Adhesive eXperiment (NOAX)
C) New communication protocol testing
D) Advanced navigation systems trial
  • 40. Which Space Shuttle was used for the first Return to Flight mission (STS-114)?
A) Endeavour
B) Challenger
C) Discovery
D) Atlantis
  • 41. Where did the CAIB members travel to begin their investigation?
A) Cape Canaveral
B) Kennedy Space Center
C) Barksdale AFB
D) Johnson Space Center (JSC)
  • 42. What did the Debris Assessment Team criticize about the Mission Management Team?
A) Delaying the launch due to foam strike concerns
B) Failing to communicate with the crew about potential risks
C) Asserting there were no safety concerns before their investigation was completed
D) Not requesting DoD imagery in time
  • 43. What technology was installed to prevent ice buildup in the bipod?
A) Insulation foam
B) Electric heaters
C) Thermal blankets
D) De-icing sprayers
  • 44. Which shuttle was being prepared for launch as a potential rescue vehicle during STS-107?
A) Endeavour
B) Challenger
C) Discovery
D) Atlantis
  • 45. What was the conclusion of the Debris Assessment Team regarding safety concerns from the debris strike?
A) Further analysis was required before making a decision
B) Immediate repairs were needed before reentry
C) There were no safety concerns
D) The orbiter should be returned to Earth immediately
  • 46. What maneuver did Discovery perform to allow ISS crew to inspect its belly?
A) Rendezvous pitch maneuver
B) Re-entry orientation maneuver
C) Orbital adjustment maneuver
D) Docking alignment maneuver
  • 47. How many temperature sensors were equipped on each orbiter's wing?
A) 30
B) 22
C) 15
D) 10
  • 48. What likely rendered the astronauts unconscious or deceased within seconds?
A) High acceleration during breakup
B) Depressurization
C) Impact with the ground
D) Thermal trauma from hot gas
  • 49. What was redesigned to prevent future foam strikes on the ET?
A) The orbiter's wings
B) The bipod
C) The Canadarm
D) The liquid oxygen line
  • 50. Who was responsible for coordinating the request for DoD imagery of Columbia?
A) William Readdy, the Associate Administrator for Space Flight
B) Wayne Hale, the Shuttle Program Manager for Launch Integration
C) Steve Stich, the flight director
D) Linda Ham, the Mission Management Team Chair
  • 51. At what altitude did Columbia reenter the atmosphere, marking entry interface?
A) 400,000 feet (120 km)
B) 300,000 feet
C) 231,600 feet (70.6 km)
D) 350,000 feet
  • 52. What did astronauts test during the first EVA of STS-114?
A) New navigation systems
B) Advanced communication devices
C) Space suit enhancements
D) Tile repair tool, the Emittance Wash Applicator
  • 53. Who was the mission's pilot on STS-107?
A) William McCool
B) Rick Husband
C) Michael Anderson
D) David Brown
  • 54. Who was the NASA Administrator that convened the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB)?
A) An anonymous military official
B) Sean O'Keefe
C) A civilian analyst
D) Harold W. Gehman, Jr.
  • 55. Who chaired the Columbia Accident Investigation Board (CAIB)?
A) A civilian analyst
B) An anonymous military official
C) Retired US Navy Admiral Harold W. Gehman, Jr.
D) Sean O'Keefe
  • 56. When did the first Return to Flight mission (STS-114) launch?
A) February 4, 2003
B) July 1, 2006
C) July 26, 2005
D) May 2009
  • 57. When was the STS-107 mission originally scheduled to launch?
A) December 25, 2000
B) February 14, 2001
C) January 16, 2003
D) January 11, 2001
  • 58. How many members of the Texas Army National Guard were deployed after the disaster?
A) 300 members
B) 500 members
C) 50 members
D) 100 members
  • 59. By what month had the CAIB expanded to 13 members?
A) April
B) May
C) February
D) March
  • 60. What was the first part of Columbia supercomputer system named after?
A) Rick Husband
B) David Brown
C) Kalpana Chawla
D) Michael Anderson
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