Space travel is inherently dangerous. This isn't a tragedy.
Safety is a chimera. That applies to space launches, commuting to work, smoking, eating at McDonalds, war, taking an ocean cruise, you name it.
Of course, space travel is inherently dangerous....as is flying in airplanes.....or, probably, driving a vehicle on the autobahn (sp?).....or police work, firefighting, etc. But where there's loss of life, even though the risks are well-established, it is still, IMHO, a tragic event.
Praise these heros. They knew the job was dangerous when they took it. It's a great and dangerous responsibility to hold our aspirations and mankind's future course on one's shoulder's.
This isn't a tragedy.
It is still quite a tragedy and this latter remark is callous.
I think you mean to say they did not die in vain, and indeed that is correct. Sadly, in death, in this great tragedy, their mission may be more important than if it had been another routine mission.