Project Purpose

From http://www.howstuffworks.com/space-shuttle12.htm

This project was done for Physics 212 at the University of Alaska Fairbanks. The project discusses the physics of space shuttle re-entry. I chose to research space shuttle re-entry into the earth's atmosphere mainly because of the space shuttle Columbia disaster on Febuary 1, 2003. Like many other Americans, I wanted to better understand the reason behind the failure of the Columbia space craft.

I hope that this web-project will help you understand some of the reasons that the space craft could have failed and pique your interest in the physics of space shuttle re-entry. The focus of this web page will be on the re-entry of the shuttle rather than on lift off. One page of this website is dedicated to the Astronauts of the shuttle Columbia.