Skip to product information
1 of 7

Flown Swatch from Space Shuttle Columbia

Flown Swatch from Space Shuttle Columbia

28 total reviews

  • Verified Authentic

This fabric swatch was taken from the payload bay liner of the Space Shuttle Columbia following its last successful mission.

On March 1, 2002, this piece, along with the rest of the shuttle, was launched into outer space for the 27th time from Kennedy Space Center in Florida. The mission was to service the Hubble Space Telescope and install new instruments. During this mission alone, this piece orbited Earth 165 times, traveling nearly 4 million miles in 11 days.

The Space Shuttle Columbia was the first space-rated orbiter in NASA’s Space Shuttle fleet. It launched for the first time on April 12, 1981, and completed 27 missions and 4,808 orbits of Earth.

The Columbia disintegrated during re-entry near the end of its next mission, STS-107, on February 1, 2003. The cause of the accident was determined to be a piece of external foam, about the size of a suitcase, that detached during launch and collided with the leading edge of the left wing of the spacecraft. The integrity of these surfaces is critical due to the extreme amount of friction which occurs during re-entry.

For more info about Columbia and crew memorials, visit nasa.gov/columbia

Second image: Young and Crippen during training on Columbia's flight deck. (Image number: S-80-40389) Courtesy of NASA. 

Second image: Taken on April 12, 1981. Image courtesy of NASA.  

Third Image: Columbia sitting on the pad at Kennedy Space Center. (Image number: S-81-29212) Courtesy of NASA. 

  • Display Card

Regular price $18.00
Regular price $19.95 Sale price $18.00
Sale Sold out
Shipping calculated at checkout.


View full details
Collections containing this item:
Outer Space |

Customer Reviews

Based on 28 reviews
100%
(28)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
R
R.E. (Virginia, United States)

Rachael gave this item 5 stars

A
A.M. (Virginia, United States)

Ashley gave this item 5 stars

A
A.Y. (Virginia, United States)

This was a bday gift for my space nerd boyfriend, he loved it! Very cool gift and comes with a nice little info card

M
M.H. (Virginia, United States)

Montana gave this item 5 stars

A
A.M. (Ontario, Canada)
Absolutely cool

Amazing! Well worth it.

R
R.P. (Virginia, United States)

My husband was excited to have a part of the space shuttle. It would be better if it was put into a small plastic case, it just comes in a plastic bag type cover.

AUTHENTICITY GUARANTEED

We only list 100% verified authentic items. We work with reputable collectors, and regularly consult with our network of scientists and experts.

  • Free Worldwide Shipping

    Orders over $50 qualify for free US shipping.
    Orders over $100 qualify for free global shipping.

  • Secure Payments

    Pay how you like: credit card, PayPal, After Pay, Shop Pay, Apple/Google/Meta Pay, crypto & more.

  • Simple Returns

    Change your mind? No problem. Enjoy easy returns within 30 days.

similar items_

WE TAKE SCIENCE SERIOUSLY

You deserve better than craft store science products. And we think learning is more impactful when you're holding a tangible piece of what you're learning about. That's why Stemcell exists.

We're dedicated to providing the best scientific products available—whether they're fragments of scientific importance, experimental activities, or just interesting things that scratch your curiosity itch.

With every new product launch, our list of new ideas gets longer rather than shorter. So check in often for our latest projects, and thanks for being a part of our endeavor to make the world a smarter place to live.

Believe in yourself; for everything else, there's science.

— TERRY MUDGE, FOUNDER & SCIENTIFIC DIRECTOR