Launched on October 20, 1995, the Space Shuttle Columbia mission was the fourth and final flight by Alabama-born astronaut Kathryn Thornton (top right). She served as payload commander, overseeing research in the portable United States Microgravity Laboratory that was carried on board. The Columbia exploded upon re-entry in January 2003, and Thornton served on the task force charged with studying the incident and recommending future disaster prevention efforts.
Space Shuttle Columbia Crew, 1995
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Photo courtesy of the National Aeronautics and Space Administration.
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