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| LadyJane |
The space shuttle Columbia has just exploded over Texas while on re-entry to the U.S. for landing. It appears all on board are lost!!
How horrible! Pictures seem to suggest a total break-up of the Shuttle. Reports from Texas indicate citizens reported hearing a loud explosion. Nasa is warning anyone who comes in contact with debris to stay clear, may be dangerous!!
Very sad!! Deepest condolences to the families of the astronauts!!
LadyJ. |
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| Moonisup |
my condolances to the family of the crew
[Edited by Moonisup] |
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| LadyJane |
Major goose bump irony--First Israeli Astronaut in space and the damned thing explodes over Palestine, Texas!
LadyJ. |
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| marko |
Oh god gawd...i tought this would never happen.Me&maxmaister
visited there in august 2001.Interesting place. |
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| Rollingstoned58 |
Absolutley terrible |
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| stewed & Keefed |
SAD SAD SAD :-( |
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| Boomhauer |
This is just horrible..............
I was too young to remember the Challenger explosion, but my dad told me he watched it live on TV and saw the explosion. Very hard to watch.
Now we have another tragic event. |
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| Scot Rocks |
This is awful Im watching it on Sky/Fox News just now, God help those that have died and their families.
Mark |
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| Maxlugar |
I don't think it's terrorism as it was too high to be hit by a missle but I'm sure we'll see footage of them dancing in the streets going "Woooo lalalalalal Woooo lalalalala"
Animals.
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| telecaster |
Sad day indeed. God bless them all |
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| LadyJane |
I hear ya, Maxy!! Especially the irony of the explosion taking place over Palestine, Texas. I can hear it now:
"Allah has shown us again that the U.S and Israel are the Devil!!"
They'll have a field day with this! 
Bastards!!!!
LadyJ.
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| glencar |
Another bad day for aviation. Palestine, TX is pronounced "Palesteeeen" according to a local being interviewed on NBC right now. RIP to the shuttle crew & peace to their poor families. It was a crew that also had a woman from India on board. |
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| Scot Rocks |
This has nothing to do with anything like that, so why bring it up?
This is a tragedy, leave it at that.
Mark |
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| LadyJane |
Mark:
You are absolutely correct and I truly hope to be proved wrong. Unfortunately, history speaks for itself!!
But, again, our thoughts and prayers are with the families, right now!!
LadyJ.
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| icydanger |
............................................................
whole lot of pain |
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| icydanger |
............................................................
whole lot of pain |
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| TheSavageYoungXyzzy |
Damnit all.
Condolences, I guess... if they help any. I dunno what to say. |
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| TheSavageYoungXyzzy |
From the Associated Press, for those who haven't heard:
Space shuttle Columbia apparently disintegrated in flames over Texas minutes before it was to land Saturday in Florida. TV video showed what appeared to be falling debris, as NASA declared an emergency and sent search teams to the Dallas-Fort Worth area.
In north Texas, several residents reported hearing "a big bang" at about 9 a.m., the same time all radio and data communication with the shuttle and its crew of seven was lost.
Officials in Washington said that there was no immediate indication of terrorism, and that President Bush was informed and awaiting more information from NASA.
Just over an hour after the shuttle had been expected to land, officials at Kennedy Space Center announced over loud speakers that a statement on the fate of the shuttle would be issued shortly. NASA warned people on the ground in Texas to stay away from any fallen debris.
It was the 113th flight in the shuttle program's 22 years and the 28th flight for Columbia, NASA oldest shuttle. Six Americans and Israel's first astronaut were on board.
Inside Mission Control, flight controllers hovered in front of their computers, staring at the screens after contact was lost. The wives, husbands and children of the astronauts who had been waiting at the landing strip were gathered together by NASA and taken to a secluded place.
"A contingency for the space shuttle has been declared," Mission Control somberly repeated over and over as no word or any data came from Columbia.
In 42 years of U.S. human space flight, there had never been an accident during the descent to Earth or landing. On Jan. 28, 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff.
Shortly after Columbia lifted off Jan. 16, a piece of insulating foam on its external fuel tank came off and was believed to have hit the left wing of the shuttle. Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard.
Columbia had been aiming for a landing at 9:16 a.m. Saturday.
It was at an altitude of 207,000 feet over north-central Texas at a 9 a.m., traveling at 12,500 mph, when Mission Control lost all contact and tracking data.
Gary Hunziker in Plano said he saw the shuttle flying overhead. "I could see two bright objects flying off each side of it," he told The Associated Press. "I just assumed they were chase jets."
"The barn started shaking and we ran out and started looking around," said Benjamin Laster of Kemp, Texas. "I saw a puff of vapor and smoke and saw big chunk of material fall."
Television footage showed a bright light followed by smoke plumes streaking diagonally through the sky. Debris appeared to break off into separate balls of light as it continued downward.
Security had been extraordinarily tight for Columbia's 16-day scientific research mission because of the presence of Ilan Ramon, the first Israeli astronaut.
Ramon, 48, a colonel in Israel's air force and former fighter pilot, had survived two wars. He became the first man from his country to fly in space, and his presence resulted in an increase in security, not only for Columbia's launch, but also for its planned landing. Space agency officials feared his presence might make the shuttle more of a terrorist target.
A senior U.S. official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said Saturday there was no threat made against the flight and that the shuttle was out of range of a surface-to-air missile.
"The government of Israel and the people of Israel are praying together with the entire world for the safety of the astronauts on the shuttle Columbia," Prime Minister Ariel Sharon's office said in a statement.
Columbia's crew had completed 80-plus scientific research experiments during their time in orbit.
Only two of the seven astronauts had flown in space before, the shuttle's commander, Rick Husband, and Kalpana Chawla. The other five were rookies: pilot William McCool and Michael Anderson, David Brown, Laurel Clark and Ramon.
Just in the past week, NASA observed the anniversary of its only two other space tragedies, the Challenger explosion, which killed all seven astronauts on board, and the Apollo spacecraft fire that killed three on Jan. 27, 1967.
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| FotiniD |
It's horrible 
Condolences to the families.
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| telecaster |
I remember an interview with Keith from the early 80's
and he was saying how cool he thought the Space Shuttle program was and he was relating to the teamwork to make it work.
Sad. |
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| sasca |
I feel sick. I was very young when the last disaster happened but the memory has stayed vivid. To think of them, excited to be coming home to tell their friends and families about the trip.... At least they died doing something they loved. Perhaps that will be some comfort to those who loved them.
Don't bring up Israeli-Palestinian issues here. It is not the place. |
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| throbby |
peace for your families my friends |
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| LadyJane |
quote:
sasca wrote
Don't bring up Israeli-Palestinian issues here. It is not the place.
Sasca:
I already retracted my statement re the above in reply to Scot Rocks. But you know what, I'm getting a bit sick and tired of your "better than thou" attitude regarding politics.
Perhaps when you are a bit older, you'll appreciate my jaded and faded view of the world!!
LadyJ.
[Edited by LadyJane] |
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| sasca |
I didn't say that to be better than you, I said it because I think such statements are at the very least unsavoury. You were not the only one to make such comments.
The Israeli on board spoke of his hope for that area of the world.
I certainly don't apologise for not finding bigotry funny.
[Edited by sasca] |
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| LadyJane |
Sasca: In light of today's tragedy, I'm going to ignore your last comment about bigotry.
Throbby: your post was lovely.
Peace to all.
LadyJ. |
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| sonicrock |
peace to the family, my condoleance but euuuuh??? why don t we leave the moon alone?? we already did enough on this earth......well i m so sorry for the guys anyway... |
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| icydanger |
ladies shouldn't ignore
wounded twice |
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| Fiji Joe |
Fiji Weeps |
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| woodywoodpecker |
Deepest sympathy to the families, and also to the U.S
A bad run of luck since sept 11, things can only get better!
This is going to really dampen the space race now! NASA Are not getting the support they used to. So sympathy to NASA Also.
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| Sir Stonesalot |
I've been thinking about this tragedy today. I think I know why we feel so strongly about these accidents involving space shuttles.
It's because astronauts are our idea of ideal heroes.
Every little kid wants to be an astronaut when they grow up. And Shuttle Astronauts...well, we live our childhood dreams thru them.
When they die...a little part of all of us dies.
That's what I think anyhow. |
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