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.

[F-117A]

Fox News just reported that this was the oldest shuttle craft in the fleet.

[Catspaw]

Very little reported in the Israeli press because it's still the Sabbath. Ha'aretz is giving news bulletins.

[Normal4me]

"This is so tragic. Although, one wonders what we are doing using 20 year old spacecraft. We should have replaced the shuttles long ago. Maybe this horrible accident will be the impetus to finally build a newer, better spacecraft. The shuttle was designed in the 70's. Think how much better we could do now."

Unfortunately NASA's budget has been cut by congress for years. A sad day indeed.

[apackof2]

My prayers to the families

This is heartbreaking

[E.G.C.]

BTTT what David said. This is really a very bad deal

[vietvet67]

My first 2 viewing of video show shuttle passing by what appeared to be a stationary flashing white light in background. Star?....any thoughts? May God rest their souls.

[Michael81Dus]

Sounds as if it could be both: an accident or sabotage.

[nightowl]

News is saying the shuttle was lost over Palistine, TX. This is about 100 miles from my home. The first Israeli airforce pilot was on board along with 6 Americans. This is so terrible & sad. This reminds me so much of Jan. 26, 1986 when the Challenger was lost.

[mewzilla]

I may be may mistaken, but one tile coming off wouldn't do it. I believe they've even landed with a few missing. But tiles off the leading edge of the wing would pose a far greater problem, I think. If that's what happened.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

We will suffer losses because we lean into the wind of discovery. Hail the brave!

Offer a prayer to heroes and those lost on the frontier.

[July 4th]

"The oxidizer in the Shuttle solids is ammonium perchlorate, which forms 69.93 percent of the mixture. The fuel is a form of powdered aluminum (16 percent), with an iron oxidizer powder (0.07) as a catalyst. The binder that holds the mixture together is polybutadiene acrylic acid acrylonitrile (12.04 percent). In addition, the mixture contains an epoxy-curing agent (1.96 percent). The binder and epoxy also burn as fuel, adding thrust."

[Moonmad27]

An earlier story on the AP wire service quoted astronaut David Brown as saying earlier today "Do we really have to come back?" The pictures of the trail breaking up were horrifying.

[Movemout]

"Are you suggesting we'll leave the current ISS occupants fend for themselves? "

As I posted previously, I think the Russians will launch a Soyuz to recover the ISS crew shortly. Perhaps this will be the end of ISS, as well.

[George W. Bush]

Since this was a civilian crew, we can assume they didn't launch any military satellites.

Anyone know the status of our big KH spy satellites? It's pretty certain we won't be able to launch more for a while and the shuttle is the only way to carry our biggest spy birds into space. That's one of the main reasons why we've been stuck with the current shuttle design up till now.

[Man of the Right]

A replay of the Challenger tragedy, the most upsetting and depressing event of the '80s. Pray for the souls of our astronauts and the lives of their families, and pray for our country.

[AppyPappy]

There was a fake one going around. NASA said there was no communication and no black box info.

[Howlin]

I hope not.

[Wednesday's Child]

I just had to tell my husband what has happened....he can't even speak.
God bless them and their families.

[Valin]

I'll put FREEREPUBLIC on the card.

Thank you!!

[JohnHuang2]

There isn't a dry eye here at my house...