[TLBSHOW]

The trouble was reported here at FreeRepublic at 9:03 from a freeper from las Vegas.

here

It wasnt a glow that spread back like a comet but it must have been "on fire" because it was bright and big.


2/1/2003 9:03

[Chesterbelloc]

I live up in the Sierra Nevada mountains here in California and I went out with the kids this morning to watch the shuttle go by. It went by at around 5:55 - big fireball trailing its plume of smoke. I didn't notice anything out of the ordinary as it went past. It is a very amazing sight. God rest the crew..

[mvpel]

It was very irritating - the post here on FR stated a time of 4:48am, instead of 5:48am Pacific Time. I got up to look for it, but went back to bed.

I did hear the double sonic boom, I believe, and the rumble of its passage - it woke me up at least a little.

[jwfiv]

After watching the video umpteen times, but having never seen the shuttle in descent before, it's hard to tell if it's merely glowing when we first see it, and leaving a vapor trail, or if it's already combusted and trailing fire and smoke along with vapor.

It looks to me already burning when the video begins.

Then the burning becomes obvious and the shuttle begins to spin like a rifled bullet and then break apart 2-3 seconds later.

The fireball we see before breakup might be 300 yards across, and there were heroes in its center.

It's a terrible terrible sight, my eyes and heart are in pain.

[socal_parrot]

That is a chilling thread.

[ladyinred]

I thought of the same post TLBSHOW. That was posted before we knew anything.