NASA loses contact with Space Shuttle

[El Gallo Negro]

Originally posted by Remington
I think it's the fact that NASA doesn't build new shuttles every once and awhile, the Columbia is a somewhat old spacecraft and it sounds like it broke apart on re-entry.

Well supposedtly all Shuttle's are rated for 100 missions each, and this one was Columbia's 28th, I think....

My thoughts and prayers go out to those on the shuttle...

[Kevmaster]

1) This is starting to look bad .... **sigh**

2) Shut up with your rubbish about Bush...thats a stupid, unfounded comment to make...you all know theres no way hes going to play on the sympathy of america with stuff like this

[magnj]

too bad, anyone live in texas? I hear there is fuel all over the pieces and will kill you if you inhale it.

[warpfeedmod]

you can see the debris/trails on weather radar:

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/radar/loop/DS.p20-r/si.kpoe.shtml

[Smoke]

My god, what a tragedy. I can't believe it. 5 days after the Challenger anniversary. May they rest in peace. This is a sad day for America and for the world.

[shartley]

Originally posted by SpongeBobSquarePants


I agree, wait wait wait, hold on I'm listing to the TV....... Now there saying that terriosm from earth would have been impossiable, but they said it could have happened on board? WTF? Yea thats it 6 Americans and 1 Isrealy (sp) are gonna crash or shuttle for terriosm. Great call CNN, scare the **** out of the world why don't ya. If Bush does use this for his fight with Iraq he is a very ignorant person.

[warpfeedmod]

January 28, 1986 Challenger explodes
January 27, 1967 Apollo spacecraft 3 die in fire
February 1st, 2003 Columbia breaks up in re-entry 7 dead


methinks this is not a good time of year for the space program?

[warpfeedmod]

Originally posted by shartley

I agree. Theres no way this could be terrorism. 200,000some feet, travelling at 12,000some mph. No missle/plane can go that high/fast anyway. It would have to have been a well thought out plan of sabotage before takeoff, which i doubt would have happend.

[lopxtc]

Hopefully this wont cripple the Space Progrom for (what was the number?) six years like the Challenger explosion did.

It is a tragedy, put one that is assumed by the crew when they are in the program. Although this does not make it any less tragic ... anytime a life is lost through accident its a tragedy.

Aaron

[warpfeedmod]

reports that shuttle debris has been sighted in Central Texas.

Also as to the comment about how you can die if you inhale the fuel/etc from the crash this is from another thread

"Various maneuvering systems on STS use nitrogen tetroxide. My father used to be commander of the medical facilities for White Sands Missle Range, NM - also home of White Sands Space Harbor, a contingency landing site. Shuttle - and other systems using nitrogen tet at WSMR - was always on their minds."

from my understanding the nitrogen tetroxide can be very
deadly.

Here's some info on it:

http://homepage.powerup.com.au/~draymond/space/n2o4.htm

[pbzmag]

There are a few on AO who lives in Texas. I believe Capo lives in Texas. Everyone in Texas please be carefull if debris lands close to you. The propellant used is very toxic and most likely fatal when inhaled. The fuel consist of two chemicals, one of which is an oxidizer. When the two are combined, it burns immediately.

[Magsrule3]

Wow, that weather radar is spooky. You can see the shuttle debris go across the radar and split up. If that is what it is it looks like there will be debri scattered everywhere.

[zads27]

My one and only flag goes up today.


I've always wanted to be an astronaut, I still do. God bless.





Please guys, I don't mind you guys talking about the shuttle itself.. but leave the bush/politics out for at least today. It really sours my spirit.

[warpfeedmod]

They just had a guy on in Texas who claims to have pieces out in his yard. Tiles, Aluminum, etc..

[1stdeadeye]

RIP Columbia

God speed to the crew.

The Columbia was the oldest space shuttle in our fleet. It was launched in 1981 and overhauled in 1999.

One of the articles on CNN stated that a piece of Insulation over a fuel tank was ripped off during the launch, but it should not have had any impact on the mission. I wonder....