(COLORADO SPRINGS) — The Space Foundation announced that its Space Foundation Discovery Center will be opening a new exhibit Saturday, Feb. 4 called “With Dignity, Honor, and Reverence: The Recovery of Space Shuttle Columbia.”
The Space Foundation is a nonprofit dedicated to education, collaboration, and information on space exploration and space-inspired industries. The Discovery Center “is an interactive, education-focused destination that advances science, technology, engineering, art and mathematics (STEAM) in the exciting context of space exploration, development and utilization.”
The exhibit will commemorate the 20th anniversary of the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster that happened on Feb. 1, 2003. The exhibit will honor the seven lives lost that day as well as the recovery and investigation efforts in the aftermath. It will also go over what lessons were learned through the tragic event and how they have been applied to current space programs.
In partnership with the Colorado Springs Pioneer Museum, the Space Foundation has curated the story of this historic event through five oral history interviews. The exhibit will also include photos and memorable objects among other things. The interviews include:
Lt. Col. Duane “Digger” Carey, USAF (Ret.), former NASA astronaut
Rich Cooper, vice president strategic communications & outreach, Space Foundation
Jeff Fladung, El Paso County Search and Rescue
Reginald Francklyn, El Paso County Search and Rescue
Elle O’Sullivan, volunteer, Laramie County Search and Rescue
Tom Zelibor, CEO of the Space Foundation, said “Exploration is not without risks, and the Columbia accident is one of the most heartbreaking events in spaceflight history. This exhibit is about remembering her crew, recognizing the expansive search and rescue efforts, and understanding the lessons we need to remember as we continue to explore the frontiers of space.”
According to Space.com, the seven astronauts who perished were:
Rick Husband, commander
Michael Anderson, payload commander
David Brown, mission specialist
Kalpana Chawla, mission specialist
Laurel Clark, mission specialist
William McCool, pilot
Ilan Ramon, payload specialist from the Israeli Space Agency
The “With Dignity, Honor, and Reverence: The Recovery of Space Shuttle Columbia” exhibit will join other space artifacts and interactive exhibits in the El Pomar Space Gallery.
