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03-015 "Falling Eagle"
2003, digital and prismacolor composite

This awful scene is one that passed with merciful swiftness: the destruction of the space shuttle Columbia high over Texas on February 1, 2003. After suffering a failure of her heat shield along the left wing, the veteran space plane was executing a banking maneuver when she shattered as if she had been made of balsa wood. Most likely, the damaged wing (seen at upper right) sheared off suddenly, pitching Columbia over into the brute force of the atmosphere while traveling Mach 18. Against such pressure, the shuttle would have severed into her major components as the fragile center structure around the payload bay exploded like a house of cards. The three massive Main Engines can be seen in the Aft Fuselage as it twists free; at the opposite end of the orbiter, the Forward Fuselage which carries the hapless crew has also cracked loose.

The previously undamaged right wing, bearing her name, is also severed by the wind stream, as is the proud vertical tail. The photos and video from the ground, 200,000 feet below, will suddenly show fiery trails branching out. These are the tracks of these major pieces as they decelerate and shatter into smaller parts. This moment is especially horrifying to us as it is frozen in time - but remember that only seconds passed between Columbia being a starship with a crew to becoming a rain of flaming debris. The astronauts had little to time to suffer; for that, at least, we may be glad. In the future, Columbia's sisterships will climb to these heights, and face these perils anew. Doubtless these perils will be safely passed, but it will be some time before we on the ground can forget the awful instant shown here.

Chris Butler