UPDATES:

Analysis: Nasa emergency (Dr David Whitehouse, 1 February, 2003, BBC News Online)

Columbia was at an altitude of 207,000 feet travelling at a velocity of 12,000 mph - a critical phase of the re-entry.

The shuttle's heat absorbing tiles, designed to protect the vehicle from the intense heat of re-entry, would have been glowing white hot.

Residents said they heard a big bang. Debris has been seen falling from the sky.

During this phase of the mission the crew have no means of escaping from the Space Shuttle.

Kalpana Chawla: Doing India proud (The Hindu, 2/01/03)

Posted by Orrin Judd at February 1, 2003 12:55 PM