NOVA: Space Shuttle Disaster

On February 1, 2003, the space shuttle Columbia disintegrated just 16 minutes before it was due to land. All seven astronauts aboard perished, and the implications for the future of the space shuttle program were enormous. What caused the tragedy? An engineering flaw? Failure within NASA? Lack of financing? Could the catastrophe have been avoided? Through interviews with astronauts and their families, and with members of the Columbia Accident Investigation Board, take a look at the Columbia tragedy — and at NASA itself.

Airs Thursday, January 31, at 9pm on Channel 5.