Corrected entry: The shuttle makes a far from a smooth landing on the asteroid. It is dinged up quite a bit and even more so while they are there. Columbia burned up because a single piece of ice hit its wing causing the heat shield to malfunction. There is no way this shuttle could have re-entered the earth's atmosphere safely.
Coconut
7th May 2004
Correction: These new shuttles (X-71s) are explained as being made of titanium and of being "impenetrable". I suppose that within the absurdity of this movie, a shuttle with an impenetrable skin could perform as shown.