[AP SCOOP] Space Shuttle Columbia Will Be Visible In San Francisco Area (6AM Pacific)

nasa

[leadpenny]

Space Shuttle Columbia is in a decent for the Kennedy Space Center in Florida and will pass over the San Francisco Area around 6:00 AM Pacific Time. Route will take the Shuttle over Las Vegas, Flagstaff, etc. NASA has still not decided which runway will be used. Landing will be at 9:16 AM Eastern.

[leadpenny]

Ken, what do you mean, classmates?

[ken in texas]

Several folks from the Air Force Academy have gone on to the Astronaut program. I haven't kept up with their current status though.

[winodog]

I have said prayers. It takes a brave person to get on a rocket, go into space and come in for a landing at 270,000? miles a hour.
One of my prayers is that the US takes another big step into space. Brave men and great civilizations always move foreward after disaster.

[McGruff]

We may already know the reason.

During a mission status news conference yesterday, Entry Flight Director Leroy Cain was asked about any possible damage to the shuttle's thermal tiles during launch. The tiles are what protect the shuttle during the fiery reentry into Earth's atmosphere.

Tracking video of launch shows what appears to be a piece of foam insulation from the shuttle's external tank falling away during ascent and hitting the shuttle's left wing near its leading edge.

But Cain said engineers "took a very thorough look at the situation with the tile on the left wing and we have no concerns whatsoever. We haven't changed anything with respect to our trajectory design. It will be a nominal, standard trajectory."

[leadpenny]

Thanks for that link. It almost looks like this thread.

[McGruff]

[Molly Pitcher]

Okay. Thanks, the fellow in Vegas just ahead of you probably saw it intact then.

[Molly Pitcher]

Well said.

[leadpenny]

They keep talking about Dallas but I believe they will find things happening as it passed your area over Las Vegas.

Wicked!!!! I was just in time to see it streak across leaving a white trail.

13 posted on 02/01/2003 8:57 AM EST by winodog

[Eaker]

Bad News ping.

[2Jedismom]

Ping.

[FranceForBushInAustin]

So your post ...

Did you see anything ?

[ken in texas]

See #60.

[winodog]

The time they say they lost contact would fit that scenerio but I was not paying real close attention.
I did notice that one spot seemed brighter then the rest.
Another thing seemed strange. After it passed overhead it seemed to lose the "glow". At the moment I thought it must have something to do with it having passed over but it "brightened" back up.
It would appear something was wrong before it got to Dallas area.
I must go do some work for a couple hours. I will check back in soon.
Again prayers for all involved, including our soldiers around the world.

[leadpenny]

I have to repeat myself. Right after the shuttle crossed the California Coast, the NASA spokesman was saying how it was making 80 degree + banks (four of them) to dissapate speed). I've watched many of these recoveries and I do not remember these kind of turns this far out from landing.

[leadpenny]

Thank you, winodog. Peace.

[leadpenny]

Added for future reference:

Shuttle Contact LOST-No Tracking Data During RE-Entry!
Shuttle explodes Over Texas
The Green Hills Of Earth, Thread for The Shuttle.

[glennaro]

BTTT: Chilling real-time reading on this thread starting at about Post 18.

[1john2 3and4]

ok, im so sad....but i just thought it would be good for someone in saudi arabia to get footage of crowd reaction....you know what i mean here....would serve as a good reminder

[RaceBannon]

My God, what an ill-timed post! I know you didnt know, it is just such a sad thing to see this thread started...and then....(Please dont take offense, just a bad co-incidence!)