The European Space Agency (ESA) is Europe’s gateway to space. Its mission is to shape the development of Europe’s space capability and ensure that investment in space continues to deliver benefits to the citizens of Europe and the world.
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Exploring our Solar System and unlocking the secrets of the Universe
Go to topicProtecting life and infrastructure on Earth and in orbit
Go to topicUsing space to benefit citizens and meet future challenges on Earth
Go to topicMaking space accessible and developing the technologies for the future
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The ESA TV Service pays a tribute to the crew of Space Shuttle Columbia, with an Exchange programme featuring images from the mission until contact was lost to the Shuttle, images from the national ceremony held in Houston on 6 February, and images from the scientific experiments. Some of its data was sent to Earth during the mission, also of one ESA experiment on board, that aims to develop treatments for lung transplantation patients.
The programme comprises of a 10 minute A-Roll with split audio (English commentary/international sound).
A-Roll Script
10.00.49 On Saturday the first of February 2003, at about 14:00 GMT, the Space Shuttle Columbia was lost and seven NASA astronauts perished. The astronauts on board were Mission Commander Rick Husband, Pilot William McCool; Payload Commander Michael Anderson; Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla; Mission Specialist Laurel Clark; Mission Specialist David Brown and Israeli Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon.
10.01.42 Space Shuttle Columbia was launched on 16 January 2003 carrying a Spacehab module for a 16 day scientific mission (STS 107). The mission was conducted at an altitude of 274 km and an inclination of 39o. This was an autonomous Space Shuttle mission with no docking to the ISS and no crew- exchange.
10.02.39 In a normal Shuttle re-entry scenario, the re-entry phase starts about one hour before touch down and at some 8000 km from the landing site at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. At that point the Orbiter is at an altitude of about 170 km and is travelling at about 28000 km/hour.