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«Смерть в космосе» перенаправляется сюда. Чтобы узнать о смерти в условиях открытого космоса, см. Воздействие космического пространства .
Спейс шаттл Challenger разбился во время запуска в 1986 году, в результате чего погибли все семь членов экипажа.

В этой статье перечислены поддающиеся проверке происшествия и инциденты, связанные с космическими полетами, которые привели к человеческим жертвам или почти смертельному исходу во время полета или подготовки к космическим полетам с экипажем, а также испытаний, сборки, подготовки или полета пилотируемых и роботизированных космических кораблей. Не включены аварии или инциденты, связанные с испытаниями межконтинентальных баллистических ракет (МБР), гибель или ранение подопытных животных, беспилотные космические полеты, не приведшие к гибели людей или серьезным травмам, а также проекты советских или немецких самолетов с ракетными двигателями времен Второй мировой войны . Также не включены предполагаемые несообщаемые советские космические катастрофы , которые считаются второстепенными теориями. большинством историков.

По состоянию на 2020 год во время космического полета погибло 15 космонавтов и 4 космонавта . [1] [2] Астронавты также погибли во время подготовки к космическим миссиям, таким как пожар на стартовой площадке Аполлона-1, в результате которого погиб весь экипаж из трех человек. Во время космических полетов также были жертвы, не связанные с космонавтами. По состоянию на 2020 год в инцидентах, связанных с космическими полетами, погибло 30 человек.

Мемориальная доска космонавтам на мысе Канаверал (2015 г.)
Fallen Астронавт Мемориал на Луне включает в себя имена большинства известных астронавтов и космонавтов , которые были убиты до 1971 года

Погибшие космонавты [ править ]

(В приведенной ниже статистике «космонавт» применяется ко всем космическим путешественникам, чтобы избежать использования «космонавт / космонавт».)

Во время космического полета [ править ]

По состоянию на март 2021 года в результате авиационных происшествий погибли 15 астронавтов и 4 космонавта в пяти отдельных инцидентах. [2] Трое из них пролетели над линией Кармана (граница космоса), и один должен был это сделать. В каждом случае погибал весь экипаж. Текущий статистический уровень смертности составляет 3,2 процента.

Астронавты НАСА , погибшие при исполнении служебных обязанностей, увековечены в Мемориале космического зеркала в комплексе посетителей Космического центра Кеннеди на острове Мерритт, штат Флорида . Космонавтов, погибших при исполнении служебных обязанностей при Советском Союзе, как правило, чествовали похоронами в Некрополе у Кремлевской стены в Москве . Ни советские, ни российские космонавты не погибли во время космических полетов с 1971 года.

Погибшие при космических полетах над линией Кармана
ДатаИнцидентМиссияСмертельные случаиОписание
30 июня 1971 г.Декомпрессия в космосеСоюз-11 Георгий Добровольский Виктор Пацаев Владислав Волков
 
 		Экипаж корабля "Союз-11" погиб после отстыковки от космической станции " Салют-1" после трехнедельного пребывания. Дефект конструкции клапана вентиляции кабины привел к его открытию при разъединении служебного модуля. Спасательная бригада обнаружила экипаж мертвым. Эти три человека (по состоянию на 2021 год) являются единственными человеческими жертвами в космосе (на высоте более 100 километров (330 000 футов)). [3] [4]

Координаты посадки корабля «Союз-11»: 47,35663 ° с.ш., 70,12142 ° в.д. , в 90 км (56 миль) к юго-западу от Каражала , Караганда , Казахстан , и примерно в 550 км (340 миль) к северо-востоку от Байконура , на открытой равнине вдали от населенных пунктов. На небольшой круглой огороженной территории на участке установлен мемориальный памятник в виде трехгранной металлической колонны. В верхней части колонны с каждой стороны выгравировано изображение лица члена экипажа, помещенного в стилизованный треугольник. [5] [6] [7]47°21′24″N 70°07′17″E /  / 47.35663; 70.12142

Погибшие при космических полетах под линией Кармана
ДатаИнцидентМиссияСмертельные случаиОписание
24 апреля 1967 г.Отказ парашютаСоюз 1 Владимир КомаровОднодневная миссия сопровождалась серией неудач с космическим кораблем нового типа, кульминацией которых стало то, что парашют не раскрылся должным образом после входа в атмосферу . Комаров погиб, когда капсула на большой скорости ударилась о землю. [8] [9]

Координаты места крушения корабля "Союз-1": 51,3615 ° с.ш., 59,5622 ° в.д. , в 3 км (1,9 мили) к западу от Карабутака, Оренбургская область, Российская Федерация , примерно в 275 км (171 миль) к востоку-юго-востоку от Оренбурга . В небольшом парке на обочине дороги установлен мемориальный памятник: черная колонна с бюстом Комарова наверху. [10] [11] [12]51°21′41″N 59°33′44″E /  / 51.3615; 59.5622

15 ноября 1967 г.Сбой управленияX-15 Рейс 3-65-97 Майкл Дж. АдамсВо время полета Х-15 191, седьмого полета Адамса, у самолета возникла проблема с электричеством, за которой последовали проблемы с управлением в апогее полета. Пилот тоже мог дезориентироваться. Во время входа в атмосферу с апогея 266 000 футов (50,4 мили, 81,1 км) X-15 отклонился от курса и вошел в штопор на скорости 5 Маха. Пилот восстановился, но вошел в перевернутое пикирование на 4,7 Маха. Чрезмерная нагрузка привела к разрушению конструкции на высоте около 19,8 км. [13] Адамс был посмертно награжден крыльями астронавта , поскольку его полет прошел на высоте 50 миль (80,5 км), [14] [15]
28 января 1986 г.Неисправность ракеты-носителя, разрушение корабля во время запуска - катастрофа космического корабля " Челленджер"СТС-51-Л Грегори Джарвис, Криста МакОлифф, Рональд Макнейр, Эллисон, Онизука, Джудит Резник, Майкл Дж. Смит, Дик Скоби
 
 
 
 
 
 		Space Shuttle Challenger был уничтожен через 73 секунды после старта STS-51-L на высоте 15 километров (49000 футов). Расследование показало, что из-за холодных погодных условий уплотнительное кольцо вышло из строя, что позволило горячим газам от твердотопливного ракетного ускорителя (SRB) шаттла попадать на внешний топливный бак и стойку ускорителя. Стойка и кормовая часть танка вышли из строя, что позволило верхней части SRB повернуться в верхнюю часть танка. Challenger был брошен боком в воздушный поток со скоростью 1,8 Маха и разошелся с потерей всех семи членов экипажа. Исследователи НАСА определили, что они, возможно, пережили распад космического корабля, возможно, потеряли сознание из-загипоксия ; некоторые пытались активировать аварийный кислород. Однако все выжившие после распада были убиты, когда практически неповрежденная кабина самолета ударилась о воду на скорости 320 км / ч (200 миль в час), примерно в 32 км (20 миль) к востоку от мыса Канаверал, на 28,64 градуса северной широты, 80,28 градуса западной долготы. [16] [17] Около половины останков машины так и не были обнаружены, а фрагменты все еще были выброшены на берег даже десять лет спустя, на побережье округа Бревард, штат Флорида . [18]
1 февраля 2003 г.Разрушение корабля при входе в атмосферу - катастрофа космического корабля " Колумбия"СТС-107 Рик Д. Муж Уильям К. МакКул Майкл П. Андерсон Дэвид М. Браун Калпана Чавла Лорел Кларк Илан Рамон
 
 
 
 
 
 		Шаттл " Колумбия" был потерян, когда вернулся из двухнедельной миссии STS-107 . Повреждение системы тепловой защиты (TPS) шаттла привело к разрушению конструкции левого крыла шаттла, и космический корабль в конечном итоге развалился при входе в атмосферу на высоте менее 65 км. Расследование выявило повреждение усиленной углеродно-углеродной панели передней кромки крыла в результате удара куска пенопласта, который откололся от внешнего бака во время запуска. [19]

Автомобиль разбился над юго-западом Соединенных Штатов и упал фрагментами над восточным Техасом и центральной Луизианой .

Во время обучения или тестирования [ править ]

Помимо несчастных случаев во время космических полетов, 11 космонавтов, летчиков-испытателей и другого персонала погибли во время тренировок или испытаний.

Смертельные случаи во время тренировок или испытаний к космическому полету
ИнцидентДатаМиссия (программа)Смертельные случаиОписание
Пожар в высотной камере23 марта 1961 г.( Группа 1 советских ВВС ) Валентин БондаренкоПервый смертельный случай, связанный с космосом. Во время 15-дневного эксперимента на выносливость в высотной камере низкого давления с атмосферой не менее 50% кислорода стажер космонавта Востока Бондаренко уронил пропитанную спиртом ткань на электрическую плиту . Он получил ожоги третьей степени на большей части тела и лица и скончался в больнице через 16 часов. [20]
Крушение учебного реактивного самолета31 октября 1964 г.( Группа астронавтов НАСА 3 ) Теодор ФриманПеред тем , как выбран для Gemini экипажа, Фримен полет Т-38 реактивный тренажер на заходе на посадку в Ellington AFB недалеко от Хьюстона, штат Техас, когда гусь ударил по левой стороне кабины навесом . Осколки оргстекла попали в воздухозаборник двигателя, и оба двигателя загорелись . Фримен катапультировался слишком близко к земле, чтобы его парашют раскрылся должным образом. [21] [22]
Крушение учебного реактивного самолета28 февраля 1966 г.Близнецы 9 Эллиот См Чарльз Бассетт
Си и Бассет попытались посадить свой Т-38 на Ламберт Филд в Сент-Луисе, штат Миссури, в плохую погоду и врезались в соседний завод McDonnell Aircraft , где они собирались пройти обучение на симуляторе для полета Gemini 9 . [23] [24]
Пожар во время испытания космического корабля27 января 1967 г.Аполлон 1 Вирджил «Гас» Гриссом Эд Уайт Роджер Б. Чаффи

Электрический пожар в кабине быстро распространился в атмосфере чистого кислорода и унес жизни всех трех членов экипажа «Аполлона-1» во время испытания на «отключение» в рамках подготовки к их запланированному запуску 21 февраля. [25]
Крушение учебного реактивного самолета5 октября 1967 г.( Аполлон ) Клифтон К. УильямсУильямс, летевший один на самолете Т-38 из Кейп-Кеннеди , штат Флорида, в Хьюстон , штат Техас, разбился из-за механического отказа системы управления элеронами примерно в 24 км к северу от Таллахасси , штат Флорида. [26] Уильямс катапультировался слишком низко, чтобы парашют раскрылся должным образом. [27] Уильямс был выбран пилотом лунного модуля в команде Аполлона с командиром Питом Конрадом и пилотом командного модуля Ричардом Гордоном .
Крушение учебного реактивного самолета8 декабря 1967 г.( Пилотируемая орбитальная лаборатория ) Роберт Генри Лоуренс младшийПервый афроамериканский астронавт, отобранный для программы пилотируемой орбитальной лаборатории ВВС , погиб, когда его истребитель F-104 разбился на базе ВВС Эдвардс , Калифорния , во время отработки серии высокоскоростных посадок с быстрым спуском с майором Харви Ройером как пилот в команде. Оба члена экипажа катапультировались; Ройер выжил и получил травмы, но Лоуренс, пилот-инструктор, был найден в катапультируемом кресле с не полностью раскрытым парашютом. [28] [29]
Утонул во время тренировки по восстановлению воды11 июля 1993 г.(11-я группа подготовки космонавтов ВВС СССР) Сергей ВозовиковСергей Юрьевич Возовиков входил в состав 11 группы подготовки космонавтов ВВС СССР. Его подготовка в качестве космонавтов проходила с 1 октября 1991 года по 6 марта 1992 года. Он утонул 11 июля 1993 года во время тренировок по восстановлению воды в Черном море , недалеко от Анапы , Россия. [30] [31]
Крушение космоплана во время испытательного полета31 октября 2014 г.VSS Enterprise PF04 Майкл ОлсбериМайкл Олсбери был убит, а Питер Сибольд был серьезно ранен, когда SpaceShipTwo VSS Enterprise распался во время испытательного полета в атмосфере над Калифорнией из-за преждевременного развертывания системы оперения . [32]

Несмертельные инциденты во время космического полета [ править ]

Помимо настоящих бедствий, ряд миссий закончился некоторыми очень близкими промахами, а также несколькими несчастными случаями на тренировках, которые чуть не закончились смертельным исходом.

ИнцидентДатаМиссияОписание
Сбой разделения12 апреля 1961 г.Восток 1После ретрофита сервисный модуль Восток неожиданно остался присоединенным к модулю повторного входа пучком проводов. Две половины корабля должны были разделиться через десять секунд после ретрофита. Но они разошлись только через 10 минут после ретрофита, когда жгут проводов окончательно сгорел. Космический корабль совершил резкое вращение в начале входа в атмосферу, прежде чем провода прорвались, и модуль входа не перешел в правильное положение для входа в атмосферу. [33]
Десантная капсула затонула в воде21 июля 1961 г.Меркурий-Редстоун 4После приводнения в Атлантическом океане люк вышел из строя и взорвался, капсула заполнилась водой и чуть не утонул Гас Гриссом , которому удалось спастись до того, как она затонула. Затем Гриссому пришлось иметь дело со скафандром, который быстро наполнялся водой, но сумел попасть в спасательный воротник вертолета и был поднят в безопасное место. [34] Космический корабль был обнаружен в 1999 году, когда он обосновался в 300 морских милях (560 км; 350 миль) к юго-востоку от мыса Канаверал в 15 000 футов (4600 м) морской воды. Неразорвавшиеся ГНФАР бомба , предназначенная для фиксации звука и ранжирования в случае судно затонуло, не удалось , и пришлось иметь дело с тем, когда он был восстановлен с океанского дна в 1999 году [35]
Неисправность в конструкции космического скафандра или шлюзовой камеры18 March 1965Voskhod 2The mission featured the world's first spacewalk, by Alexei Leonov. After his twelve minutes outside, Leonov's space suit inflated in the vacuum to the point where he could not reenter the airlock. He opened a valve to allow some of the suit's pressure to bleed off, and was barely able to get back inside the capsule after suffering side effects of the bends. Because the spacecraft was so cramped, the crew could not keep to their reentry schedule and landed 386 km (240 mi) off course in deep forest. They spent a night sheltering in the capsule from the cold, and a second night in a temporary hut built by rescuers before skiing with them to a clearing where a helicopter flew them to Perm.[36][37]
Engine shutdown at launch12 December 1965Gemini 6AThe first on-pad shutdown in the U.S. human spaceflight program. Gemini 7 orbiting 185 miles (298 km) directly over Missile Row witnessed the event and reported they could clearly see the momentary exhaust plume before shutdown.[38]
Equipment failure17 March 1966Gemini 8A maneuvering thruster refused to shut down and put their capsule into an uncontrolled spin.[39] After the Gemini spun up to one revolution per second, Neil Armstrong regained control by switching from the main attitude control system to the reentry system. Mission rules required a landing as soon as possible once the reentry thrusters were used, causing an early end to the flight.[40]
Separation failure18 January 1969Soyuz 5Harrowing reentry and landing when the capsule's service module initially refused to separate, causing the spacecraft to begin reentry faced the wrong way. The service module broke away before the capsule would have been destroyed, and so it made a rough but survivable landing far off course in the Ural mountains.
Struck twice by lightning during launch14 November 1969Apollo 12Two lightning strikes during launch. The first strike, at 36 seconds after liftoff, knocked the three fuel cells offline and the craft switched to battery power automatically. The second strike, at 52 seconds after liftoff, knocked the onboard guidance platform offline. Four temperature sensors on the outside of the Lunar Module were burnt out and four measuring devices in the reaction control system failed temporarily. Fuel cell power was restored about four minutes later. The astronauts spent additional time in Earth orbit to make sure the spacecraft was functional before firing their S-IVB third stage engine and departing for the Moon.[41][42]
Struck by camera during splashdown24 November 1969Apollo 12Astronaut Alan Bean was struck above the right eyebrow by a 16mm movie camera when the spacecraft splashed down in the ocean. The camera broke free from its storage place. Bean suffered a concussion,[43] and a 1.25 cm cut above the eyebrow that required stitches.[44]
Premature engine shutdown11 April 1970Apollo 13During launch, the Saturn V second stage experienced a premature shutdown on one of its five engines. The center engine shut down two minutes early. The remaining engines on the second and third stages were burned a total of 34 seconds longer to compensate. It was later determined that the shutdown was caused by pogo oscillation of the engine. Parking orbit and translunar injection were successfully achieved.[45][46][47]
Equipment failure13 April 1970Apollo 13The crew came home safely after a violent rupture of a liquid oxygen tank[48] deprived the Service Module of its ability to produce electrical power, crippling their spacecraft en route to the Moon. They survived the loss of use of their command ship by relying on the Lunar Module as a "life boat" to provide life support and power for the trip home.[49]
One of three main parachutes failed7 August 1971Apollo 15During descent, the three main parachutes opened successfully. However, when the remaining reaction control system fuel was jettisoned, one parachute was damaged by the discarded fuel causing it to collapse. Spacecraft and crew still splashed down safely, at a slightly higher than normal velocity, on the two remaining main parachutes. If a second parachute had failed, the spacecraft would probably have been crushed on impact with the ocean, according to a NASA official.[50]
Separation failure5 April 1975Soyuz 18aThe mission nearly ended in disaster when the rocket suffered a second-stage separation failure during launch. This also interrupted the craft's attitude, causing the vehicle to accelerate towards the Earth and triggering an emergency reentry sequence. Due to the downward acceleration, the crew experienced an acceleration of 21.3 g rather than the nominal 15 g for an abort. Upon landing, the vehicle rolled down a hill and stopped just short of a high cliff. The crew survived, but Lazarev, the mission commander, suffered internal injuries due to the severe G-forces and was never able to fly again.
Chemical poisoning24 July 1975Apollo–SoyuzDuring final descent and parachute deployment, the U.S. crew were exposed to 300 µL/L of toxic nitrogen tetroxide (Reaction Control System oxidizer) fumes venting from the spacecraft and reentering a cabin air intake, because a switch was left in the wrong position. 400µL/L is fatal. Vance Brand lost consciousness for a short time. The crew members suffered from burning sensations of their eyes, faces, noses, throats and lungs. Thomas Stafford quickly broke out emergency oxygen masks and put one on Brand and gave one to Deke Slayton. The crew were exposed to the toxic fumes from 24,000 ft (7.3 km) down to landing. About an hour after landing the crew developed chemical-induced pneumonia and their lungs had edema. They experienced shortness of breath and were hospitalized in Hawaii. The crew spent five days in the hospital, followed by a week of observation in semi-isolation. By July 30, their chest X-rays appeared to return to normal except for Slayton; he was diagnosed with a benign lesion, unrelated to the gas exposure, which was later removed.[51]
Landing capsule sank in water16 October 1976Soyuz 23The capsule broke through the surface of a frozen lake and was dragged underwater by its parachute. The crew was saved after a very difficult rescue operation.[52]
Engine malfunction12 April 1979Soyuz 33Engine failure forced the mission to be aborted. It was the first-ever failure of a Soyuz engine during orbital operations. The crew, commander Nikolai Rukavishnikov and Bulgarian cosmonaut Georgi Ivanov, suffered a steep ballistic re-entry, but were safely recovered.
SRB ignition shock wave overpressure reached design limits of orbiter structure12 April 1981 STS-1During launch, the Solid Rocket Booster ignition shock wave overpressure was four times greater than expected (2.0 psi or 14 kPa measured vs 0.5 psi or 3.4 kPa predicted). Some of the aft structures on Space Shuttle Columbia reached their design limits (2.0 psi) from the overpressure. The overpressure bent four struts that supported two RCS fuel tanks in the nose of Columbia and the orbiter's locked body flap was pushed up and down 6 in (15 cm) by the shock wave. John Young and Robert Crippen in the crew cabin received a 3-G jolt from the shock wave. An improved water spray shock wave damping system had to be installed on the launch pad prior to launch.[53][54][55][56]
Fire in launch vehicle26 September 1983Soyuz T-10-1A fuel spillage before the planned liftoff caused the vehicle to be engulfed in flames. The crew was narrowly saved by the activation of their launch escape system, with the rocket exploding two seconds later.
Leaked hydrazine fuel fire and explosion8 December 1983STS-9In the last two minutes of the mission, during Space Shuttle Columbia's final approach to the Edwards AFB runway, hydrazine fuel leaked onto hot surfaces of two of the three onboard auxiliary power units (APU) in the aft compartment of the shuttle and caught fire. About 15 minutes after landing, hydrazine fuel trapped in the APU control valves exploded, destroying the valves in both APUs. The fire also damaged nearby wiring. The fire stopped when the supply of leaked fuel was exhausted. All of this was discovered the next day when technicians removed an access panel and discovered the area blackened and scorched. It is believed that hydrazine leaked in orbit and froze, stopping the leak. After returning, the leak restarted and ignited when combined with oxygen from the atmosphere. There were no injuries during the incident.[57][58]
Space Shuttle in-flight engine failure29 July 1985 STS-51-FFive minutes, 45 seconds into ascent, one of three main engines aboard Challenger shut down prematurely due to a spurious high temperature reading. At about the same time, a second main engine almost shut down from a similar problem, but this was observed and inhibited by a fast acting flight controller. The failed SSME resulted in an Abort To Orbit (ATO) trajectory, whereby the shuttle achieves a lower than planned orbital altitude. Had the second engine failed within about 20 seconds of the first, a Transoceanic Abort Landing (TAL) abort might have been necessary. No bailout option existed until after mission STS-51-L, the Challenger disaster. But even with that option, a bailout (a "contingency abort") would never be considered when an "intact abort" option exists, and after five minutes of normal flight it would always exist unless a serious flight control failure or some other major problem beyond engine shutdown occurred.[59][60]
Sensor failure6 September 1988Mir EP-3At the end of the mission, Soviet cosmonaut Vladimir Lyakhov and Afghan cosmonaut Abdul Ahad Mohmand undocked from Mir in the spacecraft Soyuz TM-5. During descent they suffered a computer software problem combined with a sensor problem. The deorbit engine on the TM-5 spacecraft which was to propel them into atmospheric reentry, did not behave as expected. During an attempted burn, the computer shut off the engines prematurely, believing the spacecraft was out of alignment.[61] Lyakhov determined that they were not, in fact, out of alignment, and asserted that the problem was caused by conflicting signals picked up by the alignment sensors caused by solar glare.[61] With the problem apparently solved, two orbits later he restarted to deorbit engines. But the engines shut off again. The flight director decided that they would have to remain in orbit an extra day (a full revolution of the Earth), so they could determine what the problem was. During this time it was realised that during the second attempted engine burn, the computer had tried to execute the program which was used to dock with Mir several months earlier during EP-2.[61] After reprogramming the computer, the next attempt was successful, and the crew safely landed on 7 September.[62]
Thermal tile damage6 December 1988STS-27Space Shuttle Atlantis' Thermal Protection System tiles sustained unusually severe damage during this flight. Ablative insulating material from the right-hand solid rocket booster nose cap had hit the orbiter about 85 seconds into the flight, as seen in footage of the ascent. The crew made an inspection of the Shuttle's impacted starboard side using the Shuttle's Canadarm robot arm, but the limited resolution and range of the cameras made it impossible to determine the full extent of the tile damage. Following reentry, more than 700 tiles were found to be damaged including one that was missing entirely. STS-27 was the most heavily damaged Shuttle to return to Earth safely.
Space suit puncture8 April 1991STS-37During an extravehicular activity, a small rod (palm bar) in a glove of EV2 astronaut Jay Apt's extravehicular mobility unit punctured the suit. Somehow, the astronaut's hand conformed to the puncture and sealed it, preventing any detectable depressurization. During post-flight debriefings, Apt said after the second EVA, when he removed the gloves, his right hand index finger had an abrasion behind the knuckle. A postflight inspection of the right hand glove found the palm bar of the glove penetrating a restraint and glove bladder into the index finger side of the glove. NASA found air leakage with the bar in place was 3.8 SCCM, well within the specification of 8.0 SCCM. They said if the bar had come out of the hole, the leak still would not have been great enough to activate the secondary oxygen pack. The suit would, however, have shown a high oxygen rate indication.[63]
Explosive release device punctured cargo bay bulkhead12 September 1993 STS-51While releasing the Advanced Communications Technology Satellite from the payload bay, both the primary and backup explosive release devices detonated. Only the primary device was supposed to have detonated. Large metal bands holding the satellite in place were ripped away, causing flying debris. The debris punctured the orbiter's payload bay bulkhead leading to the main engine compartment, damaging wiring trays and payload bay thermal insulation blankets. The puncture in the bulkhead was 3 mm by 13 mm in size. The crew was uninjured and the damage was not great enough to endanger the shuttle. The satellite was undamaged.[64]
Eye injury from Mir exercise equipment18 May 1995MirWhile exercising on the EO-18/NASA 1/Soyuz TM-21 mission, astronaut Norman E. Thagard suffered an eye injury. He was using an exercise device, doing deep knee bends, with elastic straps. One of the straps slipped off of his foot, flew up, and hit him in the eye. Later, even a small amount of light caused pain in his eye. He said using the eye was, "like looking at the world through gauze." An ophthalmologist at Mission Control-Moscow prescribed steroid drops and the eye healed.[65]
Fire on board23 February 1997MirThere was a fire on board the Mir space station when a lithium perchlorate canister used to generate oxygen leaked. The fire was extinguished after about 90 seconds, but smoke did not clear for several minutes.
Fuel cell failure8 April 1997STS-83Fuel cell #2 aboard Space Shuttle Columbia unexpectedly failed on Day 4 in orbit, forcing an early end to the flight. The mission touched down safely, and the crew was reflown with the same mission plan on STS-94.
Collision in space25 June 1997MirAt Mir, during a re-docking test with the Progress M-34 cargo freighter, the Progress freighter collided with the Spektr module and solar arrays of the Mir space station. This damaged the solar arrays and the collision punctured a hole in the Spektr module and the space station began depressurizing. The onboard crew of two Russians and one visiting NASA astronaut were able to close off the Spektr module from the rest of Mir after quickly cutting cables and hoses blocking the hatch closure.
Main engine electrical short and hydrogen leak23 July 1999 STS-93Five seconds after liftoff, an electrical short knocked out controllers for two shuttle main engines. The engines automatically switched to their backup controllers. Had a further short shut down two engines, Columbia would have ditched in the ocean, although the crew could have possibly bailed out. Concurrently a pin came loose inside one engine and ruptured a cooling line, allowing a hydrogen fuel leak. This caused premature fuel exhaustion, but the vehicle safely achieved a slightly lower orbit. Had the failure propagated further, a risky transatlantic or RTLS abort would have been required.
Toxic ammonia leak during EVA10 February 2001ISS/STS-98During EVA 1 on the mission, NASA astronauts Robert L. Curbeam and Thomas D. Jones were connecting cooling lines on the International Space Station while working to install the Destiny Laboratory Module. A defective quick-disconnect valve allowed 5% of the ammonia cooling supply to escape into space. The escaping ammonia froze on the spacesuit of astronaut Curbeam as he struggled to close the valve. His helmet and suit were coated in ammonia crystals an inch thick. Mission Control instructed Curbeam to remain outside for an entire orbit to allow the Sun to evaporate the frozen ammonia from his spacesuit. When they returned to the airlock, the astronauts pressurized, vented and then repressurized the air lock to purge any remaining toxic ammonia. After they removed their spacesuits, the crew wore oxygen masks for another 20 minutes to allow life-support systems in the airlock to further filter the air. No injuries resulted from the incident.[66]
Ballistic reentry, injured shoulder3 May 2003Soyuz TMA-1The capsule had a malfunction during its return to Earth from the ISS Expedition 6 mission and performed a ballistic reentry. The crew was subjected to about 8 to 9 Gs during reentry. The capsule landed 500 km (310 mi) from the intended landing target. In addition, after landing the capsule was dragged about 15 metres (49 ft) by its parachute and ended up on its side in a hard landing. Astronaut Don Pettit injured his shoulder and was placed on a stretcher in a rescue helicopter and did not take part in post-landing ceremonies.[67][68][69]
Unplanned rolls during ascent29 September 2004SpaceShipOne-16POn suborbital flight 16P, the first of two flights that won the X-Prize for exceeding 100 km (62 mi) in altitude, astronaut Mike Melvill experienced 29 unplanned rolls during and after powered ascent. The rolls began at 50 seconds into the engine burn. The burn was stopped 11 seconds early after burning a total of 76 seconds. After engine cutoff, the craft continued rolling while coasting to apogee. The roll was finally brought under control after apogee using the craft's reaction jets. SpaceShipOne landed safely and Mike Melvill was uninjured.[70][71]
Separation failure19 April 2008Soyuz TMA-11Reentry mishap similar to that suffered by Soyuz 5 in 1969. The service module failed to completely separate from the reentry vehicle and caused it to face the wrong way during the early portion of aerobraking. As with Soyuz 5, the service module eventually separated and the reentry vehicle completed a rough but survivable landing. Following the Russian news agency Interfax's report, this was widely reported as life-threatening[72][73] while NASA urged caution pending an investigation of the vehicle.[74] South Korean astronaut Yi So-Yeon was hospitalized after her return to South Korea due to injuries caused by the rough return voyage in the Soyuz TMA-11 spacecraft. The South Korean Science Ministry said that the astronaut had a minor injury to her neck muscles and had bruised her spinal column.[75]
Aborted spacewalk after water leak in suit16 July 2013ISS Expedition 36During EVA-23, European Space Agency astronaut Luca Parmitano reported that water was steadily leaking into his helmet. Flight controllers elected to abort the EVA immediately, and Parmitano made his way back to the Quest airlock, followed by fellow astronaut Chris Cassidy. The airlock began repressurizing after a 1-hour and 32 minute spacewalk, and by this time Parmitano was having difficulty seeing, hearing, and speaking due to the amount of water in his suit. After repressurization, Expedition 36 commander Pavel Vinogradov and crewmembers Fyodor Yurchikhin and Karen Nyberg quickly removed Parmitano's helmet and soaked up the water with towels. Despite the incident, Parmitano was reported to be in good spirits and suffered no injury.[76][77][78] By December, 2013, NASA had determined the leak to have been caused by a design flaw in the Portable Life Support System liquid coolant. The designers failed to take into account the physics of water in zero-g, which unintentionally allowed coolant water to mix with the air supply.[79]
Hole detected in spacecraft30 August 2018Soyuz MS-09Ground controllers detected a dip in cabin pressure, which astronauts traced to a 2-millimeter hole in Soyuz MS-09, which was quickly patched up by Soyuz commander Sergey Prokopyev with epoxy.[80]
Launch booster failure, ballistic re-entry11 October 2018Soyuz MS-10The crew reported feeling weightless; mission control declared a rocket had failed. An emergency was declared and the spacecraft carrying the crew was separated from the rocket. It returned to Earth in a ballistic descent (sharper than normal angle), and the crew experienced 6.7 G during the landing.[81] The crew did not need immediate medical care when recovered. Investigation determined the ball joint supporting one of the side boosters had been deformed during assembly; the damaged joint prevented proper separation despite proper activation of the separation motors; the booster re-contacted the core stage, inflicting further damage.[82]
Air leak in space stationAugust 2020Expedition 63NASA reported an air leak from the International Space Station during Expedition 63. It was determined that the leak starts from the Zvezda module. Exact location unknown.[83]

Non-fatal training accidents[edit]

Main article: Spaceflight non-fatal training accidents

Spaceflight-related accidents and incidents during assembly, testing, and preparation for flight of crewed and uncrewed spacecraft have occasionally resulted in injuries or the loss of craft since the earliest days of space programs.

Non-astronaut fatalities[edit]

Fatalities caused by rocket explosions[edit]

This list excludes deaths caused by military operations, either by deliberate detonations, or accidental during production - for example German V-2 rockets reportedly caused on average an estimated 6 deaths per operational rocket just during its production stages.[84]

DatePlaceDeadRocketDescription
17 May 1930Berlin, Germany1Max Valier, "first casualty of the modern space age",[85] killed by rocket engine explosion.[86]
2 February 1931Mount Redoria near Milan, Italy1A liquid fueled, 132-pound (60 kg) meteorological rocket, that was constructed by American physicist, Dr. Darwin Lyon, exploded during tests, killing a mechanic and injuring three others. Dr. Lyon was not present when the explosion occurred.[87]
10 October 1933Germany3Explosion in rocket manufacturing room of Reinhold Tiling[88]
16 July 1934Kummersdorf, Germany3A1Research project under the supervision of Walter Dornberger killed Kurt Wahmke and two assistants as part of the Aggregat rocket development, during a fuel test of a premixed hydrogen peroxide/alcohol propellant when the fuel tank exploded.[89]
24 October 1960Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakh SSR54-300R-16The Nedelin catastrophe caused by ignition of second-stage engines on the pad.[90]
24 October 1963Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakh SSR7–8R-9 DesnaOn the same day as the Nedelin catastrophe, another catastrophe took place: due to the evaporation of fuel and a short circuit, a fire took the lives of 7[91] or 8[92] people. Since then, 24 October is considered a "Black Day", and Russia has not launched rockets on that day.
14 April 1964Cape Canaveral, US3Delta rocketThe third stage of a Delta rocket had just been joined to the Orbiting Solar Observatory satellite in the spin test facility building at Cape Kennedy. Eleven workers were in the room when the 205 kg (452 lb) of solid fuel in the third stage ignited. Sidney Dagle, 29; Lot D. Gabel, 51, and John Fassett, 30, were severely burned and later died of their injuries. Eight others were injured, but survived. The ignition was caused by a spark of static electricity.[93][94][95]
7 May 1964Braunlage, West Germany3Mail rocketMail rocket built by Gerhard Zucker exploded and debris hit crowd of spectators.[96]
14 December 1966Baikonur Cosmodrome, USSR1Soyuz 7K-OKSoyuz 7K-OK No.1: Second unmanned Soyuz test flight. Launch escape system fired 27 minutes after an aborted launch causing a fire and subsequent explosion when pad workers had already returned to the launch pad.[97]
26 June 1973Plesetsk Cosmodrome, USSR9Kosmos-3M launch vehicleLaunch explosion of Kosmos-3M rocket
18 March 1980Plesetsk Cosmodrome, USSR48Vostok-2M launch vehicleExplosion while fueling up a Vostok-2M rocket[98]
7 September 1990Edwards AFB, CA United States1Titan IVA Titan IV launch vehicle solid rocket booster was being hoisted by a crane into a rocket test stand at Edwards AFB, California. The bottom section of the booster broke free, hit the ground and ignited. One person, Alan M. Quimby, 27, a civilian employee of Wyle Laboratories, was killed and 9 others were injured in the accident.[99][100]
9 August 1991Komaki, Aichi, Japan1H-II launch vehicleEngineer Arihiro Kanaya, 23, was conducting a high pressure endurance test on a pipe used in the first stage rocket engine of the H-2 (H-II) launch vehicle when it exploded. The explosion caused a 14 cm (5.5 in) thick door in the testing room to fall on Kanaya and fracture his skull, killing him. The accident happened at the Nagoya Guidance and Propulsion Systems Works Of Mitsubishi Heavy Industries in Komaki, Aichi, Japan.[101]
27 February 1993Esrange, Sweden1Nike-Orion[102]Bror Thornéus, a technician from Sweden was killed when a sounding rocket ignited during testing of its ignition system at the European Sounding Rocket Range (Esrange), in northern Sweden.[103][104]
26 January 1995Xichang, China6+Long March 2ELong March rocket veered off course after launch[105]
15 February 1996Xichang, China6–100Long March 3BA Long March rocket carrying the Intelsat 708 Satellite veered off course immediately after launch, crashing in the nearby village 22 seconds later, destroying 80 houses. According to official Chinese reports there were 6 fatalities and 57 injuries resulting from the incident, but other accounts estimated 100 fatalities.[106]
15 October 2002Plesetsk Cosmodrome, Russia1Soyuz-UFoton-M No.1, a Soyuz-U, exploded 29 seconds after launch, killing a soldier, Ivan Marchenko, and injuring 8 others. Fragments of the rocket started a forest fire nearby, and a Block D strap-on booster caused damage to the launchpad.[107]
22 August 2003Alcântara, Brazil21VLS-1VLS-1 V03: Explosion of an uncrewed rocket during launch preparations[108]
26 July 2007Mojave Spaceport, California3engine test for SpaceShipTwoExplosion during a test of rocket systems by Scaled Composites during a nitrous oxide injector test[109]

Other non-astronaut fatalities[edit]

Incident datePlaceDeadAssociated mission/vehicleDescription
16 May 1968Kennedy Space Center, US1Pad worker William B. Estes, 46, was killed while hooking up an 8-inch (20 cm) high-pressure water line to the mobile Service structure on Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39A, which should not have been pressurized at the time. The cap blew off with 180 psi pressure, striking him in the chest.[110][111]
2 March 1978Florida, US1Robert E. "Champ" Murphy, was injured in an incident involving a Halon cylinder. He lost his foot and died on 8 June 1985 as a result of Halon exposure.[112][113]
19 March 1981Kennedy Space Center, US3STS-1Anoxia due to nitrogen atmosphere in the aft engine compartment of Columbia during a countdown demonstration test for STS-1. Five workers were involved in the incident. John Bjornstad died at the scene; Forrest Cole went into a coma and died two weeks later, and Nick Mullon died 14 years later from complications of injuries sustained.[114][115][116][117]
5 May 1981Kennedy Space Center, US1Construction worker Anthony E. Hill, 22, fell more than 100 feet (30 m) from the Kennedy Space Center Launch Complex 39B Service structure. [111]
10 June 1981Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge / Kennedy Space Center, US2US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) firefighters Scott Maness and Beau Sauselein died while fighting a fire on refuge grounds at Kennedy Space Center. The incident prompted improvements in the USFWS wildfire program to support spaceport operations.[112][118][119]
4 December 1985Vandenberg AFB, US1Carl Reich, 49, of Lompoc, CA, an iron worker employed by Hensel Phelps Construction of Greeley, CO, fell 252 feet (77 m) from the mobile service structure of the SLC-6 Space Shuttle launch complex, while bolting a platform onto the structure.[120][121]
30 January 1986Titusville, FL, US1STS-51-LNASA engineer Elmer Andrew Thomas, 69, of Titusville, FL suffered a heart attack while watching the Challenger disaster from a NASA viewing room. He died in the hospital two days later.[122][123]
4 May 1988Henderson, Nevada, US2Space Shuttle and other solid-fuel vehiclesBruce Halker and Roy Westerfield lost their lives due to the PEPCON disaster, an explosion of a factory that produced ammonium perchlorate for solid-fuel rocket boosters of the Space Shuttle and other launchers.
27 July 1989Kennedy Space Center, US1Space ShuttleElectrical worker Clarence E. Halley, an employee of EG&G, fell 20 feet (6.1 m) to his death at the Vehicle Assembly Building.[124]
22 December 1989Cape Canaveral, US1A worker refurbishing the 11th level of the Cape Canaveral, Atlas Launch Complex 36B launch tower, was killed when an air hose he was using was caught by the pad elevator. The hose wrapped around the worker and pulled him into the elevator shaft, crushing him. The pad was being refurbished for commercial satellite launches by General Dynamics starting in 1990.[125]
5 May 1995Guiana Space Centre, French Guiana2Ariane 5Two technicians, Luc Celle and Jean-Claude Dhainaut, died from anoxia due to major nitrogen leak in confined area of umbilical mast at Ariane 5 launch area during cryogenic M1 main stage testing.[126][127]
8 July 2001Cape Canaveral, US1Worker disconnecting a coupling on a temporary pipe used to purge a liquid oxygen system near Launch Complex 37. Unexpected buildup of pressure caused the coupling to break loose and strike the employee in the head.[128][129]
24 August 2001Cape Canaveral, US1Painter Constantine "Gus" Valantasis died after a fall at Cape Canaveral Air Force Station.[112][113]
1 October 2001Cape Canaveral, US1Crane operator Bill Brooks was killed in an industrial accident at Launch Complex 37.[129]
12 May 2002Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan8BuranWorkers repairing the roof of the Baikonur Cosmodrome N-1/Energia vehicle assembly building died when the roof suffered a total structural collapse and crashed 80 meters (260 ft) to the ground. Buran Shuttle was destroyed.[130]
27 March 2003Angelina National Forest, US2STS-107During debris recovery efforts following the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster, Forest Service employee Charles Krenek of Lufkin, Texas and Pilot Jules F. 'Buzz' Mier, Jr. of Arizona were killed when their Bell 407 search chopper crashed in San Augustine County, Texas near the town of Broaddus. Also injured were Matt Tschacher, U.S. Forest Service, South Dakota; Richard Lange, United Space Alliance at Kennedy Space Center in Florida; and Ronnie Dale, NASA's Kennedy Space Center in Florida.[131]
13 September 2003South Bay, California1One contract worker was killed in a "small" explosion during maintenance modifications at a solid rocket fuel mixing facility.[132]
24 February 2004Satish Dhawan Space Centre, India6After curing process of an experimental solid propellant segment weighing 14.5 tonnes, during removal of bottom plate from casting assembly, propellant within segment caught fire resulting in death of four engineers and two assistants. Three workers escaped the inferno with burn injuries. Cast Cure facility building suffered extensive damage.[133][134][135][136]
17 March 2006Kennedy Space Center, US1Steven Owens, a roofer employed by a subcontractor for Kennedy Space Center base operations contractor Space Gateway Company, died after falling from the roof of the Space Life Sciences Lab.[112][113][137][138][139]
5 May 2010Redstone Arsenal, US2Jim Hawke and Jerry Grimes, employees of Amtec Corp, died after an Ammonium perchlorate explosion in a solid rocket fuel test area.[140]
14 March 2011Launch Pad 39A, USA1STS-134James D. Vanover, a swing-arm contractor for United Space Alliance, fell to his death during preparations for a Space Shuttle mission.[141][142] The death was later ruled a suicide.[143]
9 November 2013Plesetsk, Russia2Two workers cleaning out a propellant tank died when exposed to poisonous nitrogen tetroxide gases within the tank[144]
14 June 2017Baikonur Cosmodrome, Kazakhstan2Progress MS-06An ISS resupply mission, debris from the launch caused a wildfire which killed Yuri Khatyushin, who was employed to recover rocket debris. Vyacheslav Tyts was injured and died a few days afterward in hospital.[145]

See also[edit]

  • Spaceflight non-fatal training accidents
  • Criticism of the Space Shuttle program
  • Fallen Astronaut
  • International Association for the Advancement of Space Safety
  • Lost Cosmonauts
  • Skylab 4
  • Space exposure
  • Space Shuttle
  • International Space Station maintenance

Notes[edit]

  1. ^ Harwood (2005).
  2. ^ a b Musgrave, Larsen, Tommaso (2009), p. 143.
  3. ^ Butler, Sue (1971-07-01). "What Happened Aboard Soyuz 11? Reentry Strain Too Much?". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. Daytona Beach, Florida. p. 43.
  4. ^ "Space deaths detailed". The Leader-Post. Regina, Saskatchewan. Reuters. 1973-11-03. p. 9.
  5. ^ "Google Maps - Soyuz 11 Landing Site - Monument Location". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  6. ^ "Google Maps - Soyuz 11 Landing Site - Monument Photo". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  7. ^ "Google Maps - Soyuz 11 Landing Site - Monument Photo closeup". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  8. ^ "The remains of the astronaut Vladimir Komarov, a man who fell from space, 1967". 2014-08-18.
  9. ^ Coleman, Fred (1967-04-24). "Soviet Cosmonaut Dies in Spacecraft". The Owosso Argus-Press. Owosso, Michigan. American Press. p. 1.
  10. ^ "Google Maps - Soyuz 1 Crash Site - Memorial Monument Location". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  11. ^ "Google Maps - Soyuz 1 Crash Site - Memorial Monument Photo". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  12. ^ "Google Maps - Soyuz 1 Crash Site - Memorial Monument Photo closeup". Retrieved 2010-12-25.
  13. ^ "X-15A Crash".
  14. ^ "Pilot Killed As X-15 Falls From Altitude Of 50 Miles", Toledo Blade newspaper, November 16, 1967.
  15. ^ "Mystery death plunge of X-15 rocket plane". The Windsor Star. Windsor, Ontario. Associated Press. 1967-11-16. p. 72.
  16. ^ "Shuttle explodes; crew lost", Frederick, OK - Daily Leader newspaper, January 28, 1986.
  17. ^ "Flight From Triumph to Tragedy Kills Challenger's 'Seven Heroes'", The Palm Beach Post, January 29, 1986.
  18. ^ "Challenger Parts Wash Ashore Almost 11 Years After Explosion", New York Times, December 18, 1996.
  19. ^ "Space Shuttle debris rains across Texas", Ocala, FL Star Banner newspaper, February 2, 2003.
  20. ^ "Soviets admit cosmonaut's death". Wilmington Morning Star. Wilmington, North Carolina. Associated Press. 1986-04-06. p. 6.
  21. ^ "Crash Kills Astronaut". Tri City Herald. Richland, WA. November 1, 1964.
  22. ^ "Goose Hit Jet, Killing Astronaut". The Miami News. November 17, 1964.
  23. ^ "2 Astronauts Die In Plane Crash". The Tuscaloosa News. February 28, 1966.
  24. ^ "See - Bassett Backup Crew Gets Gemini". Daytona Beach Morning Journal. March 1, 1966.
  25. ^ "One Astronaut Cried 'Fire' Before All Died". Daytona Beach Sunday News-Journal. January 29, 1967.
  26. ^ "Williams Wanted To Be First On The Moon". Evening Independent. St. Petersburg, FL. October 6, 1967.
  27. ^ "Board Pinpoints Astronaut's Death". The Herald-Tribune. Sarasota, FL. June 7, 1968.
  28. ^ Shayler, David (2000). Disasters and Accidents in Manned Spaceflight. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 84. ISBN 978-1-85233-225-9.
  29. ^ "Air Crash Kills Astro". Nashua Telegraph. December 9, 1967. p. 1.
  30. ^ "Vozovikov". Encyclopedia Astronautica.
  31. ^ David Shayler (June 2000). Disasters and accidents in manned spaceflight. Springer. p. 470. ISBN 978-1-85233-225-9.
  32. ^ Clark, Stephen (31 October 2014). "Virgin Galactic's SpaceShipTwo rocket plane crashes on test flight". SpaceflightNow. Retrieved 31 October 2014.
  33. ^ American Press (6 March 1996). "Report: First Man In Space Nearly Died In The Attempt". The Durant Daily Democrat. Durant, Oklahoma.
  34. ^ Webb Jr., Alvin B. (1961-07-21). "Space Cabin Sinks After Hatch 'Blows'". The Deseret News. Salt Lake City, Utah.
  35. ^ "The Liberty Bell 7 Recovery". Blacksburg, Virginia: UXB. 2011. Archived from the original on 2012-06-19. Retrieved 2013-03-18.
  36. ^ Rincon, Paul (2014). "The First Spacewalk How the first human to take steps in outer space nearly didn't return to Earth". BBC. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  37. ^ McKie, Robin (9 May 2015). "Alexei Leonov, the first man to walk in space". The Observer. Guardian News and Media Limited. Retrieved 2 February 2016.
  38. ^ lunarmodule5 (28 May 2010). "Aborted Launch - Gemini 6 (CBS)" – via YouTube.
  39. ^ Volker, Al (1966-03-27). "Astronaut Feared 'Break-Up'". The Miami News.
  40. ^ "Gemini 8". National Space Science Data Center. NASA. Retrieved June 11, 2015.
  41. ^ "Apollo Hit Twice By Lightning", Salt Lake City, Utah - Deseret newspaper, Dec 17, 1969
  42. ^ "Apollo Struck Twice By Lightning", Hopkinsville, Kentucky - New Era newspaper, Nov 22, 1969
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References[edit]

Books and journals

  • Furniss, Tim; Shayler, David; Shayler, Michael Derek (2007). Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006. Praxis Manned Spaceflight Log 1961-2006 by Tim Furniss. New York: Springer. Bibcode:2007pmsl.book.....F. doi:10.1007/978-0-387-73980-9. ISBN 978-0-387-34175-0.
  • Harland, David Michael (2005). The Story of Space Station Mir. Springer-Verlag. ISBN 978-0-387-23011-5.
  • Musgrave, Gary Eugene; Larsen, Axel; Sgobba, Tommaso (2009). Safety Design of Space Systems. Butterworth–Heinemann. ISBN 978-0-08-055922-3.
  • Siddiqi, Asif A (2000). Challenge To Apollo: The Soviet Union and the Space Race, 1945-1974 — Volume 4408 of NASA-SP (PDF). Washington, D.C.: U.S. Government Printing Office. ISBN 978-0-16-061305-0.

Other online sources

  • Harwood, William (2005-05-23). "Astronaut fatalities". spaceflightnow.com. Retrieved 2013-03-19.
  • Dumoulin, Jim (2000). "Mission Events Summary: Ascent Abort Modes". NSTS 1988 News Reference Manual. Washington, D.C.: NASA.

External links[edit]

  • The Encyclopedia Astronautica
  • Manned space programs accident/incident summaries (1963 - 1969) - NASA report (PDF format)
  • The Crash Site of the X-15A-3
  • Manned space programs accident/incident summaries (1970 - 1971) - NASA report (PDF format)
  • Interactive Space Shuttle Disaster Memorial
  • Raw Video Reconstruction of Space Shuttle Columbia Re-entry and More