Shuttle Contact LOST-No Tracking Data During RE-Entry!

Nasa TV | 02/01/03 | GRRRR

[GRRRRR]

Shuttle has NOT been heard from or seen on tracking radar since 0800Hrs CDT. No contact at Merrit Island tracking station, no voice comm...DEVELOPING.

[John Jamieson]

Many military jets headed east over Cedar Creek lake. I wonder if they have found the main wreckage near the Texas/Lousia border.

[Man of the Right]

I share your sentiments. I'm wondering how many Muslims and Arabs had physical access to the Columbia prior to launch. They seem to have a predeliction toward engineering and other technical pursuits.

[Petronski]

They carried on the tradition of exploration that began when some brave soul said to his tribesmen, "Let's go see what's on the other side of that hill."

...and who themselves were probably settling a bet. ;-)

[prisoner6]

And you didn't see him laughing before the cameras were on him like x42 did.

prisoner6

[Poohbah]

Anybody know how much control these astronauts have over the shuttle during the time this thing broke-up?

A fair amount.

And, any idea if she was behind the controls?

Nope. She's a "mission specialist," not a shuttle pilot.

[eabinga]

The President:

AT 9:00 THIS MORNING, MISSION
CONTROL IN HOUSTON LOST CONTACT
WITH OUR SPACE SHUTTLE
"COLUMBIA".
A SHORT TIME LATER, DEBRIS WAS
SEEN FALLING FROM THE SKIES
ABOVE TEXAS.
THE "COLUMBIA"'S LOST.
THERE ARE NO SURVIVORS.
ON BOARD WAS A CREW OF SEVEN.
COLONEL RICK HUSBAND, LIEUTENANT
COLONEL MICHAEL ANDERSON.
COMMANDER LAUREL CLARK, CAPTAIN
DAVID BROWN, COMMANDER WILLIAM
McCOOL, DR. KALPANA CHAWLA AND
DR. ILAN RAMONE.
A COLONEL IN THE ISRAELI AIR
FORCE.
THEY SERVED GREAT SERVICE TO ALL
HUMANITY IN AN AGE WHEN
SPACEFLIGHT HAS COME TO SEEM
ALMOST ROUTINE.
IT IS EASY TO OVERLOOK THE
DANGERS OF TRAVEL BY ROCKET.
AND THE DIFFICULTIES OF
NAVIGATING THE OUTER ATMOSPHERE
OF THE EARTH.
THESE ASTRONAUTS KNEW THE
DANGERS AND THEY FACED THEM
WILLINGLY.
KNOWING THEY HAD A HIGH AND
NOBLE PURPOSE IN LIFE.
BECAUSE OF THEIR COURAGE AND
COURAGE WE WILL MISS THEM OFF.
ALL AMERICANS TODAY ARE THINKING
AS WELL.
THE FAMILIES OF THESE MEN AND
WOMEN WHO HAVE BEEN GIVEN THE
SUDDEN SHOCK AND GRIEF.
YOU'RE NOT ALONE.
OUR ENTIRE NATION GRIEVES WITH
YOU.
AND THOSE YOU LOVE WILL ALWAYS
HAVE THE RESPECT AND GRATITUDE
OF THIS COUNTRY.
THE CAUSE IN WHICH THEY DIED
WILL CONTINUE.
MANKIND IS LED INTO THE DARKNESS
BEYOND OUR WORLD BY THE
INSPRAIGSS OF DISCOVERY AND THE
LONGING TO UNDERSTAND.
OUR JOURNEY INTO SPACE WILL GO
ON AND OTHER SKIES TODAY, WE SAW
DESTRUCTION AND TRAGEDY.
IT'S FARTHER THAN WE CAN SEE.
THERE'S COMFORT AND HOPE.
IN THE WORDS OF THE PROPHET
ISAIAH "LIFT YOUR EYES AND LOOK
TO THE HEAVENS WHO CREATED ALL
THESE.
HE WHO BRINGS OUT THE STARY
HOSTS ONE BY ONE, AND CALLS THEM
EACH BY NAME."
BECAUSE OF HIS GREAT POWER AND
MIGHTY STRENGTH OTHERS NOT ONE
OF THEM IS MISSING.
THE SAME CREATOR WHO NAMES THE
STARS, ALSO KNOWS THE NAMES OF
THE SEVEN SOULS WE MOURN TODAY.
THE CREW OF THE SHUTTLE
"COLUMBIA" DID NOT RETURN SAFELY
TO EARTH, YET WE CAN PRAY THAT
ALL ARE SAFELY HOME.
MAY GOD BLESS THE GRIEVING
FAMILIES AND MAY GOD CONTINUE TO
BLESS AMERICA.

[mrustow]

In the midst of this tragic day, may I offer this.

The American Space Program, in the 40 years it has existed, has lost 17 astronauts in spaceflight-related activities. Three in Apolo 1 on the pad, 7 on Challenger and now apparently 7 on Columbia.

How many pioneers were lost exploring and settling North America?

Space, the Final Frontier, is a harsh environment. Exploring and conquering it will be dangerous. Few have been lost, but many, many more will be if we, the Human Race, is to continue to reach and achieve.

We must pause, reflect and honor these latest "Pioneers" who have paid the ultimate price, but in their honor, we must pick up where they left off and continue Mankind's Journey!

My Two-Cents worth.

Thank you for providing some needed perspective.

[txradioguy]

They did. Someone on here about a 1,000 posts ago linked the diagram of the upper and lower crew compartment on the shuttles.

[husky ed]

I am sorry for upsetting some of you. That was not my purpose. After reading your replies I see now that yes these people are indeed HEROES.

As I said, after 8 years of Clinton calling just about everyone with a heartbeat a hero so he could have his picture taken with them, I guess I'm just a little jumpy at the use of the word.

Again I am sorry.

ED

[Apple Pan Dowdy]

You asked: ".....but just why are these people heroes? Because they died? A lot of people die and don't get called heroes. I am sadden by their deaths, but in no way are these people heroes."

Webster's Dictionary defines "hero" in part as:

c : a man admired for his achievements and noble qualities d : one that shows great courage

I think the astonautes qualify as such!

[Poohbah]

As good a reason as any for going...

[SarahW]

From the Nasa.gov site (no pic)

"The flight deck is the uppermost compartment of the cabin. The commander's and pilot's work stations are positioned side by side in the forward portion of the flight deck. These stations have controls and displays for maintaining autonomous control of the vehicle throughout all mission phases. Directly behind and to the sides of the commander and pilot centerline are the mission specialist seats."

[The South Park Republican]

Oh yeah, and the worst part? If something screws up, there's no second chance, no going around. It's going to come back to Earth, one way or the other. All they're trying to do is aim it and make the landing soft.

Good way to explain it. And I almost follow the rest of your post. Well done!!

[virgil]

Pine tree flag is Lebanon

[Timesink]

I need to remind everyone about the CNN coverage of the postal hostage yesterday. She had run from the truck to safety and the CNN big-mouths talked for almost 4 minutes about everything else before they realized they had missed her exit. I have it on video...they thought the postal work with the police was a "third party" getting involved. Purely hilarious footage.

On 9/11, it took the BBC approximately four minutes to realize there had been an explosion in the second tower, even though their camera clearly showed the second plane come into view and then hit the building causing the gigantic explosion.

Anchors often get so absorbed into the interviews they're conducting and the notes they're being handed that they don't have a clue what video is actually going out.

[RummyChick]

"A senior law enforcement official, also speaking on condition of anonymity,
said there had been some intelligence that raised concerns about a previously
scheduled flight of Columbia, which was to have carried the same crew. The
intelligence, related to Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, was termed not credible,
but the flight was postponed for other reasons. There had been no troubling
intelligence regarding this flight, officials said."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10373-2003Feb1.html

[RummyChick]

"A senior law enforcement official, also speaking on condition of anonymity,
said there had been some intelligence that raised concerns about a previously
scheduled flight of Columbia, which was to have carried the same crew. The
intelligence, related to Israeli astronaut Ilan Ramon, was termed not credible,
but the flight was postponed for other reasons. There had been no troubling
intelligence regarding this flight, officials said."


http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A10373-2003Feb1.html

[Man of the Right]

Manned space flight is an anachronism. It impedes space exploration and exploitation.

Obviously, auto transportation is no analogy because its purpose is to transport people.

[prisoner6]

"The crew did not return to earth but the seven souls are home."

Paraphrased from the W address gets my vote.

prisoner6

[tomkat]

as unlikely as the possibility seems, MSNBC just reported again that an arm and hand have been found in st. augustine, louisiana ...