On February 1, 2003, NASA’s Space Shuttle Columbia broke apart during re-entry, just 16 minutes before landing. The hidden damage from launch — a small hole in the left wing caused by falling foam — turned deadly as superheated air entered at over 1,650°C, ripping the shuttle apart over Texas skies. Among the seven astronauts who perished was Kalpana Chawla, the first woman of Indian origin in space, whose legacy continues to inspire millions. This video explains the step-by-step events of that