Report on Columbia Details How Astronauts Died

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The crew were wearing helmets except maybe one who was still busy performing a pre-reentry task. But sudden and massive decompression immobilized the crew quickly. Only one is believed to be 'pressing buttons' probably trying to restart two (of three) APUs so as to restore hydraulic pressure. He did not know hydraulic fluid had already drained out into the left wing. And, of course, the pilot and commander were desperately trying to fix a problem completely unknown even though hundreds of engineers suspected that problem existed.

The report states why the crew was killed five times over. The report is very careful to not describe what happened to the bodies except to note indications of decompression in tissue samples.

Also not described in this report or the previous one is the sensor man who was asked what would happen if the Shuttle had a hole and started to disintegrate. He is photographed as reciting those exact same events in a very controlled voice knowing full well the crew was perishing.