The U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) said Saturday the space shuttle Columbia broke up over Texas minutes before its scheduled landing. TV footage aired on CNN showed parts of the shuttle breaking off before the space craft disintegrated in flames over north-central Texas. The cable news network reported that there was little possibility of foul play involved, and said that mission control had lost communications with Columbia about 15-minutes before it was due at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida. NASA declared an emergency after losing communication with space shuttle, while ordering search and rescue teams to the area. It also warned citizens to stay clear of debris that were reported to have fallen to earth. The loss of Columbia is the second shuttle accident following the explosion of the Challenger in 1996. It is also the first time that NASA lost a spaceship on reentry.