A timeline of events in the last flight of space shuttle Columbia. All times EST.
Jan. 16, 10:39 a.m. – Columbia rockets into orbit from Kennedy Space Center.
Feb. 1, 8:15 a.m. – Columbia fires braking rockets, streaks toward touchdown.
9 a.m. – Mission Control loses all data and contact with Columbia crew.
9 a.m. – Residents of Texas, Arkansas and Louisiana report hearing “a big bang” and seeing flames in the sky.
9:16 a.m. – Columbia’s scheduled landing.
9:29 a.m. – NASA declares emergency.
9:44 a.m. – NASA warns residents to stay away from possibly hazardous debris.
11 a.m. – NASA lowers flag next to its countdown clock at Cape Canaveral, Fla., to half-staff.
2:05 p.m. – President Bush: “Columbia is lost; there are no survivors.”