The seven astronauts on board were killed, including Israel's first astronaut, Colonel Ilan Ramon. The six others aboard who perished included: Mission Commander Colonel Rick Husband, Commander William McCool, Mission Specialist David Brown, Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla, Lieutenant Colonel Michael Anderson, and Captain Laurel Clark.
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Debris from the shuttle was scattered all over east Texas.
Tests later confirmed that a piece of foam from Columbia's fuel tank broke away during launch and punctured the left wing.