OMG! Space Shuttle Columbia!

Is anyone watching the news? Columbia seems to have been lost at an altitude of 200,000 ft.

NASA Mission Control lost contact, with space shuttle Columbia, as it reentered Earth's atmosphere, this monrning. About 30 minutes later (7:30, my time), it was confirmed that the shuttle exploded, over Dallas. The video is very clear.

There were 7 astronauts aboard. Those poor families! I remember Challenger and I'm feeling the same shock and horror, now.

Yeah, Deb. Guess that you and I posted, at the same time.

I just merged the threads, Cindy.

I vividly remember Challenger. I saw the explosion from work that day. This is a terrible tragedy.

Its all over the tv here, its just awful! It brings back memories of Challenger too. How did they confirm that it has exploded? All I can see is one eyewitness saying that, but here they are talking about recovery efforts.

This is a tragedy! My deepest sympathy for the families of the astronauts.
I'm glued on the TV.

I didn't know anything had happened until I saw this thread. I am watching CBS News Special Report now, on the bottom of the screen it says "NASA Declares Emergency." I remember the Challenger too, this is really terrible!!!!

They are just saying that there is practically no chance that the astronauts survived. As an avid follower of the US space program, I am shocked and saddened. The news is saying that people should stay away from any debris, as contact with it is potentially fatal.

I am saddened beyond words. My heart goes out to the families of the astronauts and to all of the people of NASA who work on the shuttle missions. This is just too sad.

I've got MSNBC on and they're running the video, over and over. They're, also, talking to witnesses, on the ground. MSNBC's website is running live video, too.

I know... I just heard it on the radio and turned on CNN. I feel so sorry for their families...

I just woke up late, how sad this is- I too remember when the Challenger exploded and how it stunned the world. My thoughts and prayers are with all the families, there was an Israeli on board this one as well for the first time, my thoughts are on his countrymen as well who should be celebrating and now are mourning.

I wrote this when the Challenger went down:

For the Seven Who Dared

They greeted the morning with anticipation.
All eyes were upon them,
All eyes of the nation.
They said their goodbyes,
Yet the dye was thus cast..
For how would they know?
This goodbye was their last?

After being briefed, the American flag was unfurled,
They lifted their arms to wave goodbye to the world.
Boarded the Challenger, to wait for the launch,
These seven hand-chosen, steadfast and staunch.

These Seven whose dream was to reach outer space,
Have reached out instead-
to touch- God's face.

-Mary Anne Miller-

A man called CBS news and said he lived in Texas and had a piece of metal on his property with a large number of people gathering to look at it. They put him on the air and Dan Rather started talking to him but it turned out to be a crank caller.

This is horrible news. I also remember the Challenger explosion, and this brings it all back.

As well as American astronauts, the first Israeli shuttle astronaut was on the Columbia. My thoughts are with the families of all those lost, as well as with the people of Israel. May angels watch over them.

Just last week my partner was at work talking to some new employees who are around 22/23 years old. They were talking about the Challenger disaster and of course these employees were too young too remember the event. The timing is just too weird.

Unfortunately, now these new employees are witness to their own NASA tragedy.

I'm just in shock. Earl's father called to make sure we knew, which we didn't. This is such a tragedy.

Blessings to those who were on board and to their families: Shuttle commander Rick D. Husband, pilot William C. McCool, payload commander Michael P. Anderson, mission specialists David M. Brown, Kalpana Chawla and Laurel Clark and Israel's first astronaut, Ilan Ramon.

This is the first I hear about the shuttle.

Prayers going out to the families.

What a tragedy.

Mary Anne.....that was just beautiful and touching.

Mary Anne - your poem gave me goosebumps it is beautiful.

This is just too awful.

Bless those abroad and prayers going to their families.

Another poster on another site mentioned this, which I thought was a nice thought in such a tragedy.

She mentioned that at least, if the death had to happen, these astronauts succeeded and met their dreams and made it to space. They died doing something they loved.