Editing Michael P. Anderson (section)

==NASA==
[[File:Michael P. Anderson, official portrait.jpg|thumb|Anderson in 1995]]
Anderson reported to the [[Johnson Space Center]] in March 1995.<ref name=":0" /> He completed a year of training and evaluation, and was qualified for flight crew assignment as a [[Mission Specialist|mission specialist]].<ref name=":0" /> Anderson was initially assigned technical duties in the Flight Support Branch of the [[NASA Astronaut Corps|Astronaut Office]], but went on to log more than 593 hours in space aboard two Space Shuttle missions.<ref name=":0" />

===Space Shuttle missions===

==== ''Endeavour'' ====
{{Main|Space Shuttle Endeavour}}
[[STS-89]] ''[[Space Shuttle Endeavour|Endeavour]]'' (January 22–31, 1998). Anderson was a mission specialist on STS-89, the eighth Shuttle-to-[[Mir]] [[Space station|Space Station]] docking mission, during which the crew delivered over 9,000 pounds of scientific equipment, logistical hardware, and water.

In the fifth and last exchange of a U.S. astronaut, STS-89 delivered [[Andy Thomas]] to Mir and returned with [[David Wolf (astronaut)|David Wolf]]. The mission's duration was 8 days, 19 hours, and 47 seconds, traveling 3.6 million miles in 138 [[orbits]] of the [[Earth]].<ref name=":1" />

==== ''Columbia'' ====
[[File:Anderson on STS-107.jpg|thumb|Anderson during the STS-107 mission|left]]
{{Main|Space Shuttle Columbia disaster}}
[[STS-107]] [[Space Shuttle Columbia|Space Shuttle ''Columbia'']] (January 16–February 1, 2003). Anderson served as [[Payload Specialist|payload commander]] and lieutenant colonel in charge of science experiments on the ''Columbia'', NASA's oldest shuttle.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.cnn.com/2003/TECH/space/02/01/shuttle.columbia.history/|title=CNN.com - NASA weighed retiring Columbia in 2001 - Feb. 2, 2003|first=Richard |last=Stenger|website=www.cnn.com|access-date=2016-12-14}}</ref> On February 1, 2003, the shuttle was returning to Earth after a successful 16-day trip to orbit, where the crew had conducted more than 80 scientific experiments.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasaspaceflight.com/2013/02/sts-107-remembering-columbia-crew/|title=STS-107: Remembering the accomplishments of the Columbia crew {{!}} NASASpaceFlight.com|website=www.nasaspaceflight.com|date=February 2013 |access-date=2016-12-14}}</ref>

Unbeknownst to her crew, the orbiter had suffered critical damage during its launch on January 16, when foam from the fuel tank's insulation fell off and tore a hole in ''Columbia's'' left wing.<ref name=":2">{{Cite news|url=http://www.space.com/19526-columbia-shuttle-disaster-explained-infographic.html|title=Columbia Space Shuttle Disaster Explained (Infographic)|newspaper=Space.com|access-date=2016-12-14}}</ref> During re-entry, the hole allowed super-hot [[Atmosphere of Earth|atmospheric gases]] to penetrate the orbiter's wing, leading to its destruction.<ref name=":2" /> The mission's duration was 15 days, 22 hours, and 20 minutes.

Along with the rest of the STS-107 crew, Anderson was killed upon reentry when the shuttle disintegrated over Texas. 

The [[Columbia Accident Investigation Board|''Columbia'' Accident Investigation Board]] reported<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.nasa.gov/columbia/home/CAIB_Vol1.html|title=NASA - Report of Columbia Accident Investigation Board, Volume I|website=www.nasa.gov|language=en|access-date=2016-12-14}}</ref> that, in addition to the ''Columbia''{{'}}s physical damage, NASA's management culture was partly responsible for the disaster.<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://www.newscientist.com/article/dn4089-nasa-culture-key-to-columbia-shuttle-disaster/|title=NASA culture key to Columbia shuttle disaster|newspaper=New Scientist|language=en-US|access-date=2016-12-14}}</ref>