OMG! Space Shuttle Columbia!

It is all so sad. I personally would not rule out terrorism just yet. Specially not in this day and age.
I have to tell you I can't wait to hear what it is that caused this to happen, or at least the best they can figure.

I doubt it was terrorism. You can't even get a postage stamp on that shuttle without 147 people knowing about it.

We just woke up from an afternoon nap and got ready to watch the news - it was supposed to be a special brodcast of the first Israeli astronaut landing

My heart goes out to the families of all crew members. May they rest in peace.

By terroism I ment maybe someone who was ON the ship did something from the inside to make the ship more vunerable.
I personally am not ruling out anything yet.
Even though the president "said" it wasn't an act of terrorism, you know the FBI are still looking into it, it's their job.

I wonder how much they will be able to utilize and figure out from all the wreckage.

Mary Anne, your poem brought tears to my eyes. They joined the tears that started when Cape Canaveral lowered their flag to half-staff. These 7 people are truly hoeroes.

Here is a website where you can follow the series of events as they know them, beginning at 7:00 a.m. this morning (EST).

http://www.spaceflightnow.com


Click on the Mission Status Center link.


My prayers are with them and their families.

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The tragedy of this disaster is almost too much for us to absorb. Thank God for that, because those working for NASA have to sort through the wreckage in a organized and intelligent manner, and discover the cause of this horrible loss.

I was especially touched by the representative from Israel who told us what a hero their astronaut is to them, that he represents all that is good and peaceful, even though they are under constant attack. And these young people were the cream of the crop of the United States also, brilliant, dedicated young people, whose only goal was knowledge. They were noble! In fact, in my opinion, the space program represents all that is good about America. It is the most far sighted effort since Columbus searched for a new route to the East. God bless them and their families.

I highly doubt it was terrorism. Go to CNN and it show when the shuttle first launched 2 weeks ago, it showed something falling off of the aircraft.

This whole thing is just so sad

I saw something about how they had minor problems when the shuttle lifted off. I wonder if they had fixed those problems that they could have avoided this tragedy.
I agree with you Jeanie, I was touched about the Israeli man. This is just too awful to comprehend.

A very sad day in history.

I heard it on the radio this morning when Dan and I were running errands. We stopped for breakfast, and everyone was talking about it. It makes me so sad, and the timing is very eerie.

I heard that Kalpana Chawla was the first Indian woman to go into space. Apparently she was on the cover of most Indian magazines and everyone there was very excited about her being a part of the mission.

I feel so very sad for all of their families and friends.

Oh My God! This is the first I've heard of this! I've was at a funeral this morning and on the drive down I didn't have the radio on (which is really rare for me). I don't know if even my family has heard about this news...we were all preoccupied today with my great uncles funeral. Today was hard enough and now seeing this...I just want to cry! I feel so bad for their families and for everyone involved...my heart is breaking for them right now. I want to turn on the TV and catch up on everything, but I just don't think I can handle it right now. I remember when the Challenger exploded (I'm 25 now...so that made me about 9). It was so devastating! I was in school and the teachers took us all to the cafeteria to watch the news. I can remember it so clear and now it's ironic that it happened again.

Not to spoil the mood of the thread, but did anyone else hear what Iraq's response was? They said this was a "sign of God's wrath." I'm simply stunned by the callousness of that statement.

I can't see that there is any link to terrorism here, and am quite frankly appalled that anyone would think that someone within the space program, much less one of the astronauts, would have something to do with it. The initial reports that NASA is reporting right now indicate that this was probably a fluke accident, there were problems with the manner in which the shuttle entered the atmosphere. There is also the piece of insulation that broke off on takeoff that hit the left wing, which is also the wing where they lost sensors first.

Heidi, I agree with you completely. It is also appalling to me that any one of these brilliant young heroes would be suspected by anyone. As I previously wrote, they are the most noble of all of us! We are again in the Age of Discovery, one of the most exciting, enlightening, and dangerous times in the history of humankind, and the astronauts are among the bravest of the brave. My prayer is that they are now being embraced by our Creator and surrounded by infinite love.

Does everyone relize there was no excape hatch on the shuttle? You would think that after the Challener there would have put one on this shuttle?

It is highly unlikely that anyone aboard could have been a saboteur. For an hour, before landing, the shuttle is not under the control of the pilot but, command and control computers on the ground - essentially, an autopilot.

When one looks at the number of people and miles logged, in the 40 years of the space program, they really do have an excellent safety record. Between Mercury, Gemini, Apollo and the 113 shuttle missions, dozens of people and over a million miles, there have been 31 fatalities. This doesn't make it any easier, for the families of those lost but, it furnishes some perspective, as to the overall safety of the program.

The conspiracy nuts are coming out of the woodwork, too. As for the Iraqi regime: who CARES what they think and say? Does anyone REALLY give them any credibility?

The best thing to do is find out what caused this incident, fix the problem and continue the program. That's what Americans do.

I have been bummed all day and I thought you guys wouldn't mind if I put my feelings in writing.......

On January 28, 1986 I stood in the parking lot of the Chamber of Commerce and was shocked to view the destruction of the space shuttle Challenger, and the death of its seven crew members.

I remember standing in the crowd applauding for, what we thought, was another successful launch when another spectator began pointing at the strange smoke trail in the sky, yelling that Challenger had exploded. It was confirmed quickly.....It seemed like everyone dropped to their knees at the same time. I'll never forget how sad I felt, not to mention, how quiet and reverent the town was that day.

Since then, we have watched many shuttle launches right from our driveway. Day or night it is an awesome site to see. Along with our neighbors, (and this may seem dorkey) we stand up to applaud all successful launches—We watch it until it disappears from site. The smoky trail the shuttle leaves behind is a reminder for me to pray for the astronauts who lost their lives and for the safe return of the brave new astronauts.

The Sonic Boom from the shuttle re-entering the earths atmosphere is a normal thing to hear in my neighborhood, since the shuttle passes right over us every time it comes home.

This morning, while bracing myself (and the cats) for another sonic boom I heard the dreadful news—and again we dropped to our knees. Along with the rest of the world, I pray for the families of our lost astronauts.

I am deeply saddened.

Wow, Kim. What a horrible day that must have been for you. I remember it -- but actually BEING there.

As for Iraq -- they always have something to say. They were pretty smug at 9/11 too. Sickening!

It's just so unbelievable.

My thoughts and prayers for the families and loved ones of those brave people.

One of the Astronauts a terrorist? No way.

Sherral, there is an escape hatch and the astronauts are equipped with parachutes. However, in both cases, everything happened so fast that there wasn't a chance to use them. In this case, the air speed - Mach 18.3 - and height - 207,000 feet - would have made the parachute less than worthless. (Hubby is a big space nut and has asked many of the same questions, that's why I know all this. )

Kimward,

I know exactly how you feel. I was in my first year of teaching, and we had planned to watch the Teacher in Space broadcast that afternoon. From Tampa, launches are clearly visible. I dropped my class off for lunch, and from the front of the school, I watched the launch and subsequent events. Just the other day, we were discussing how NASA was resurrecting teachers aboard the shuttle. I have always wanted to apply. Now this..... It is devastating...



As to an escape hatch, where exactly are the astronauts supposed to escape to at 200,000 ft and 12,500 mph?

Finally, an astronaut sabotaging his own orbiter? I believe that notion is nothing short of ludicrous, and disrespectful to those who lost their lives today.