Tragically, the astronauts perished when Columbia broke apart during reentry on Feb. The astronauts exceeded scientists’ expectations in terms of the science obtained during their 16 days in space. and international experiments aboard a Spacehab Double Research Module in Columbia’s payload bay.

The seven-member crew would conduct many of the 80 planned U.S.

The first flight of the year, STS-107 aboard NASA’s oldest orbiter Columbia, the first shuttle mission dedicated to microgravity research in nearly five years, would not travel to the space station but fly a 16-day solo mission. The year 2003 was shaping up to be an ambitious one for NASA, with six space shuttle missions planned, five to continue construction of the ever-growing and permanently occupied International Space Station.