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