SPACE Shuttle COLUMBIA explodes over Texas

[Sparrowhawk]

SPACE CENTER, Houston, Feb. 1 — The space shuttle Columbia exploded over Dallas on Saturday after NASA lost communication with the vessel several minutes before it’s expected landing time, NBC Dallas affiliate KXAS reported. NASA, while not saying the shuttle had exploded, broken up or crashed, warned that any debris found in the area should be avoided and could be hazardous.

http://a799.g.akamai.net/3/799/388/0e698f9bf5b9e3/www.msnbc.com/d/v/250x190/n_shuttle1_7am_030201.jpg

NASA has ordered flight controllers to pull out emergency procedures and ordered them to retain all their records.
Columbia was aiming for a touch down at 9:16 a.m.
A loud explosion was heard over Dallas at around the same time, NBC News’ Jim Cummins reported.
It was at an altitude of 200,700 feet, traveling at 12,500 mph when mission control lost contact. There was no further communication and no further tracking data.
Reporters at the landing strip were ordered away 7 minutes after the scheduled touchdown with still no sign of the shuttle.
Inside Mission Control, flight controllers hovered in front of their computers, staring at the screens. The wives, husbands and children of the astronauts who had been waiting at the landing strip were gathered together by NASA and taken to separate place.

Columbia was at an altitude of 200,700 feet over north-central Texas at a 9 a.m., traveling at 12,500 mph when mission control lost contact and tracking data.

NASA, while not saying the shuttle had exploded, broken up or crashed, warned that any debris found in the area should be avoided and could be hazardous.

The Pentagon and Joint Chiefs of Staff are convening a “domestic event conference” for any possible response to the Columbia incident, NBC’s Jim Miklaszewski reported.

There were reports of debris seen falling.

In 42 years of human space flight, NASA has never lost a space crew during landing or the ride back to orbit. In 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff.

Security had been tight for the 16-day scientific research mission that included the first Israeli astronaut.

Ilan Ramon, a colonel in Israel’s air force and former fighter pilot, 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 Jan. 16 launch, but also for its landing. Space agency officials feared his presence might make the shuttle more of a terrorist target.

On launch day, a piece of insulating foam on the external fuel tank came off during liftoff and was believed to have struck the left wing of the shuttle.

Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, had assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard.

[Sparrowhawk]

<b>NASA Loses Touch With Shuttle Columbia</b><br>
By Marcia Dunn<br>
AP Aerospace Writer<br>
Saturday, February 1, 2003; 9:49 AM <p>

CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. –– NASA declared an emergency after losing communication with space shuttle Columbia as the ship soared over Texas several minutes before its expected landing time Saturday morning. <p>

The shuttle was carrying the first Israeli astronaut and six Americans, and authorities had feared it would be a terrorist target.<p>

Fifteen minutes after the expected landing time, and with no word from the shuttle, NASA announced that search and rescue teams were being mobilized in Dallas and Fort Worth areas.<p>

Inside Mission Control, flight controller hovered in front of their computers, staring at the screens. The wives, husbands and children of the astronauts who had been waiting at the landing strip were gathered together by NASA and taken to separate place.<p>

Columbia was at an altitude of 200,700 feet over north-central Texas at a 9 a.m., traveling at 12,500 mph when mission control lost contact and tracking data.<p>

NASA, while not saying the shuttle had exploded, broken up or crashed, warned that any debris found in the area should be avoided and could be hazardous.<p>

There were reports of debris seen falling.<p>

In 42 years of human space flight, NASA has never lost a space crew during landing or the ride back to orbit. In 1986, space shuttle Challenger exploded shortly after liftoff.<p>

Security had been tight for the 16-day scientific research mission that included the first Israeli astronaut.<p>

Ilan Ramon, a colonel in Israel's air force and former fighter pilot, 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 Jan. 16 launch, but also for its landing. Space agency officials feared his presence might make the shuttle more of a terrorist target.<p>

On launch day, a piece of insulating foam on the external fuel tank came off during liftoff and was believed to have struck the left wing of the shuttle.<p>

Leroy Cain, the lead flight director in Mission Control, had assured reporters Friday that engineers had concluded that any damage to the wing was considered minor and posed no safety hazard. <p>

© 2003 The Associated Press<p>

[MillRatUSMC]

We pray for the families of all those aboard the space shuttle Columbia.
Our grief, I'm no doubt is joy to our enemies.
They must be rejoying just like after 11 September 2001.
They under estimate our resolve to stay the course.
We will deal with this and our grief.
May they Rest In Peace.


Semper Fidelis
Ricardo

[thedrifter]

Prayers go out to the families and friends.......

God Bless........

Sempers,

Roger

[Sparrowhawk]

In honor of those that served our countries highest heights


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[Gary Treacher]

We are just getting the news coming through herein the UK. Still sketchy at this time.

May God bless all those who were killed and those affected by this tragedy.

[Sparrowhawk]

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NASA STATEMENT ON LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH COLUMBIA

A Space Shuttle contingency has been declared in Mission Control, Houston, as a result of the loss of communication with the Space Shuttle Columbia at approximately 9 a.m. EST Saturday as it descended toward a landing at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. It was scheduled to touchdown at 9:16 a.m. EST.

Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. EST at an altitude of about 203,000 feet in the area above north central Texas. At the time communications were lost. The shuttle was traveling approximately 12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18). No communication and tracking information were received in Mission Control after that time.

Search and rescue teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth and in portions of East Texas have been alerted. Any debris that is located in the area that may be related to the Space Shuttle contingency should be avoided and may be hazardous as a result of toxic propellants used aboard the shuttle. The location of any possible debris should immediately be reported to local authorities.

Flight controllers in Mission Control have secured all information, notes and data pertinent to today's entry and landing by Space Shuttle Columbia and continue to methodically proceed through contingency plans.

News media covering the Space Shuttle should stay tuned to NASA Television, which is broadcast on AMC-2, transponder 9C, C-Band, located at 85 degrees West longitude. The frequency is 3880.0 MHz. Polarization is vertical and audio is monaural at 6.8 MHz. Reporters can also go to any NASA center newsroom to monitor the situation.

New information, including the times and locations of press briefings, will be posted to this page.



http://www.nasa.gov/ (http://www.nasa.gov/home.html)

[greybeard]

Gary-There is a weather radar image being shown currently on CNN. Looks like a huge thunderstorm stretching hundreds of miles across Texas, but it's the falling debris from the Columbia. Debris is all over the city of Nacadoches Texas. One pc fell thru a dentist's office, and large tank 5' dia-landed on the runway of the airport, even before the news of the desintegration of the shuttle. They didn't know what it was, so they went out & moved it off the runway to keep the runway open. That area of E Texas is pretty much virgin pine forest-lots of brushy vines etc. It's going to be tuff searching in most of it. They don't call it the Big Thicket for nothing. I've heard a report of a forest fire being started near Palestine Texas from a friend there. Debris found from New Mex, Tex, & Ark.

[thedrifter]

Our Thoughts and Prayers
Will Be With Their Families


http://www.sftt.org/pop8.jpg

Space Shuttle Columbia STS-107 crew (l-r): David Brown, Rick Husband, Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla, Michael Anderson, William McCool and Ilan Ramon. (Photo: AP)

A Tribute
Oh I have slipped the surly bonds of earth And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings; Sunward I've climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth Of sun-split clouds and done a hundred things You have not dreamed of- wheeled and soared and swung High in the sunlit silence. Hov'ring there, I've chased the shouting wind along, and flung My eager craft through footless halls of air. Up, up, up the long, delirious burning blue I've topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace Where never Lark, or even Eagle flew – And while with silent lifting mind, I've trod The high untrespassed sanctity of space, Put out my hand and touched the face of God.
John Gillespie Magee, Jr, 1922-1944 RAF Pilot, KIA, WWII


Sempers,

Roger

[Sparrowhawk]

With its seven astronauts inside, Columbia is seen lifting off Jan. 16 from Kennedy Space Center in Cape Canaveral, Fla.


http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030201shuttle_05.jpg

[Sparrowhawk]

Millions of Americans awoke Saturday morning to images of the space shuttle Columbia, carrying a crew of seven, breaking up over Texas as it returned from its mission. Smoke trails are seen from debris.

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030201shuttle_01.jpg

[Sparrowhawk]

A red and yellow streak showing the Columbia's smoke plume is seen in this radar image from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030201shuttle_11.jpg

[young_dog19]

Has anyone thought of what might have been the problem? Mechanical failure, maybe?

[Marine-of-1861]

Thats how fast things can happen.

One Minnute your here and the next Minute your Gone !

Prayers are with those familys....:(

[Barndog]

My thoughts - (and I haven't turned a wrench for 12 years)

I remember the moments when Challenger exploded 17 years ago, while a Federal Civil Service Technician for the Army Aviation Support Facility here in my neighborhood. We had just all walked in for lunch (as we often did in the aviation community - kind of as you see in the photos above, we tend to view each other as a 'family' - rather than co-workers) at a local resturant. We didn't eat anything for lunch, went back to the hanger, and stood down for 3 days.

Aviation, let alone space exploration - isn't just a job. When you dedicate your entire self to it, you never leave it. It becomes the entirety of your being. It becomes the entirety of your family's core belief. Each and every time you or someone gets into any aircraft - the fate of those people flying it, are in the hands of each and every hand that maintained it, and in control not only of the pilots, but in the control of the Inspectors, Quality Assurance, Flight Line Mechanics, Engineers, Sheet Metal, Hydraulics, Avionics, Powerplants, Ground Support, right on down to the Technical Librarian who ensures the data for the aircraft - each and every time is correctly entered, and properly analyzed, and certified before each and every flight, even the tower control personnel.
When the crew goes to sign out that aircraft, the first thing after recieving the initial mission brief, they secure the assigned aircraft records, and review those for any discrepancy.

This is point 1 everytime. I'm fortunate to have the NASA channel on my TV satellite, and I do watch it. I turned off the Major TV networks. A$$holes!! NASA - well, they had stopped showing live coverage. I hope they resume soon. Watching the NASA Engineering team press briefing - reminded me of these things:

Those men and women and their families dedicated their entire lives to exploration and pushing the envelope for science. Everyone, everytime they fly does the same thing. Everyone involved on the ground. We all are affected in the same way.

It's all the same family. You do everything you can to make certain that those people in the aircraft come back safely everytime. Failure and mistakes happen.

Do everything you can to prevent it from happening again with proper investigation. That is our job. That is our primary focus. We do everything we can to ensure that the crew comes back safely. Sometimes, everything we can do is not enough.

The dedication of the Aviation Community is always with you.

Semper Fidelis,

Columbia 7 (STS- 107) 16 Jan 03 -

Tony 'Barndog' Barnhart
USMC 1978-1983
MR ARNG 1984-1992

[Sparrowhawk]

The space shuttle Columbia streaks west to east over Owens Valley Radio Observatory north of Big Pine, Calif., shortly before 6 a.m. PT Feb. 1. A few minutes later, the shuttle broke up in flames over Texas.


http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030201_shuttle_21.jpg

[Sparrowhawk]

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030201_shuttle_20.jpg


Remnants of a tragedy
This small brush fire outside Athens, Texas, was started by a falling piece of debris from the space shuttle. Debris from the shuttle scattered over a five-state area.

[Sparrowhawk]

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030201_shuttle_19.jpg


This image of a helmet that dropped into a yard in Norwood Community, Texas, from the space shuttle Columbia, was captured on video

[Sparrowhawk]

http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/10x7/030202shuttle_03.jpg


Recovery team members pass a makeshift memorial while searching Sunday for debris from space shuttle Columbia outside Hemphill, Texas. The memorial marks the spot where remains of an astronaut were found Saturday.

[young_dog19]

http://www.reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml;jsessionid=BJKKZDZVFUFBACRBAELCF EY?type=worldNews&storyID=2152926

this is the most disgusting thing i've ever read!:mad:

[JAMarine]

God Bless You and Your Family's.

[thedrifter]

Another Memorial


http://www.mamarocks.com/columbia_crew_memorial.htm


Sempers,

Roger

[thedrifter]

http://www.marinecorpstimes.com/content/editorial/editart/020303laurelclark.jpg
Astronaut Laurel Clark works with a cancer cell experiment in this televised view from space shuttle Columbia Jan. 25. NASA lost communication with Columbia as the ship and its seven astronauts soared over Texas several minutes before its expected landing Saturday, Feb. 1. — AP Photo/NASA TV



February 03, 2003

Astronaut’s e-mail: ‘I hope you could feel the positive energy’

The Associated Press

RACINE, Wisconsin — Laurel Clark of Racine, Wisc., was a submarine doctor with the U.S. Navy before joining NASA in 1996, traveling to the depths of the oceans before soaring above as a mission specialist helping with science experiments on the space shuttle Columbia. The mother of an 8-year-old son, she was on her first shuttle mission when Columbia disintegrated over Texas. The day before she died, she sent an e-mail home to family and friends:
“Hello from above our magnificent planet Earth. The perspective is truly awe-inspiring. This is a terrific mission and we are very busy doing science round the clock. Just getting a moment to type e-mail is precious so this will be short, and distributed to many who I know and love.

I have seen some incredible sights: lightning spreading over the Pacific, the Aurora Australis lighting up the entire visible horizon with the cityglow of Australia below, the crescent moon setting over the limb of the Earth, the vast plains of Africa and the dunes on Cape Horn, rivers breaking through tall mountain passes, the scars of humanity, the continuous line of life extending from North America, through Central America and into South America, a crescent moon setting over the limb of our blue planet. Mount Fuji looks like a small bump from up here, but it does stand out as a very distinct landmark.

Magically, the very first day we flew over Lake Michigan and I saw Wind Point (Wisconsin) clearly. Haven’t been so lucky since. Every orbit we go over a slightly different part of the Earth. Of course, much of the time I’m working back in Spacehab and don’t see any of it. Whenever I do get to look out, it is glorious. Even the stars have a special brightness.

I have seen my ’friend’ Orion several times. Taking photos of the earth is a real challenge, but a steep learning curve. I think I have finally gotten some beautiful shots the last 2 days. Keeping my fingers crossed that they’re in sharp focus.

My near vision has gotten a little worse up here so you may have seen pics/video of me wearing glasses. I feel blessed to be here representing our country and carrying out the research of scientists around the world. All of the experiments have accomplished most of their goals despite the inevitable hiccups that occur when such a complicated undertaking is undertaken. Some experiments have even done extra science. A few are finished and one is just getting started today.

The food is great and I am feeling very comfortable in this new, totally different environment. It still takes a while to eat as gravity doesn’t help pull food down your esophagus. It is also a constant challenge to stay adequately hydrated. Since our body fluids are shifted toward our heads our sense of thirst is almost non-existent.

Thanks to many of you who have supported me and my adventures throughout the years. This was definitely one to beat all. I hope you could feel the positive energy that beamed to the whole planet as we glided over our shared planet.

Love to all, Laurel.”



Sempers,

Roger

[thedrifter]

An excellent tribute to the Columbia crew.

http://lb.wnd.com/columbia.html

Sempers,

Roger