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What was the reason behind the accident that happened to Kalpana Chawla? Write in detail connecting with the lesson on friction.
The Correct Answer and Explanation is
Kalpana Chawla tragically lost her life in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster on February 1, 2003. The cause of the accident can be traced back to a piece of insulating foam that broke off from the shuttle’s external fuel tank during launch. This foam struck the leading edge of the shuttle’s left wing, damaging the thermal protection system made of reinforced carbon-carbon panels.
During re-entry into Earth’s atmosphere, the damaged area allowed extremely hot gases to enter the wing structure. At high altitudes and speeds, friction between the atmosphere and the spacecraft generates intense heat—reaching temperatures over 1,500°C. The shuttle’s thermal protection system is specifically designed to withstand this heat caused by air friction. However, due to the earlier damage, the left wing could not resist the frictional heat, leading to structural failure. This resulted in the shuttle breaking apart, killing all seven astronauts onboard, including Kalpana Chawla.
Friction in space travel plays a critical role, especially during re-entry. When a spacecraft returns from orbit, it moves at speeds over 17,000 miles per hour. As it enters denser parts of the atmosphere, air resistance creates enormous frictional heat. To survive this, spacecraft use heat shields or specially engineered materials to deflect or absorb this heat. If any part of the heat shield is damaged, the heat from friction can penetrate the structure and cause catastrophic failure.
In this case, the damage was not visible from the ground, and no actions were taken to repair it or check it in space. The consequence of ignoring the effects of friction on a compromised thermal barrier led to one of the most devastating tragedies in space history. The Columbia disaster serves as a lesson in understanding the importance of friction and the necessity of proper safety measures during space missions.
