Michael P. AndersonStatus: Lost In Flight 12/28/1959 – 2/1/2003 Nationality: American Type: Government First Flight: 1/23/1998 Last Flight: 1/16/2003Michael Phillip Anderson was a United States Air Force officer and NASA astronaut. Anderson and his six fellow crew members were killed in the Space Shuttle Columbia disaster when the craft disintegrated during its re-entry into the Earth’s atmosphere. Anderson served as the payload commander and lieutenant colonel in charge of science experiments on the Columbia. Anderson was posthumously awarded the Congressional Space Medal of Honor.LaunchesSpace Shuttle Endeavour / OV-105 | STS-89Space Shuttle Columbia / OV-102 | STS-107National Aeronautics and Space AdministrationType: Government Abbreviation: NASA Administration: Administrator: Jim Bridenstine Founded: 1958 Launchers: Space Shuttle | SLS Spacecraft: Orion Country: USAThe National Aeronautics and Space Administration is an independent agency of the executive branch of the United States federal government responsible for the civilian space program, as well as aeronautics and aerospace research. NASA have many launch facilities but most are inactive. The most commonly used pad will be LC-39B at Kennedy Space Center in Florida.