On Saturday, February 1, 2003, the Space Shuttle Columbia exploded over Texas. Columbia, on its twenty-eighth mission, was on its descent after a sixteen-day journey as it broke up. There were no survivors.

When the Space Shuttle Challenger blew up it held the first civilian passenger, a teacher, Krista McAuliffe. This mission had the first Israeli astronaut, Ilan Ramon.

Space Future offers condolences to the families of the seven victims.