Space shuttle Columbia lost over Texas

[Paul]

   Our thoughts and prayers are with the astronauts, family, and friends of the space shuttle Columbia.

      Paul



STS-107 (http://spaceflight.nasa.gov/shuttle/)

[sasvermont]

How tragic. My thoughts and prayers to the astronauts and their families.

[Paul]

   http://petoftheday.com/online/sts107a.jpg

   The STS-107 crew included, from the left, Mission Specialist David Brown, Commander Rick
Husband, Mission Specialists Laurel Clark, Kalpana Chawla and Michael Anderson, Pilot
William McCool and Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon.

      Paul

[mugsy]

Our thoughts and prayers are with the families and friends of the astronauts.

All of the Pet Talkers in Texas are also in my thoughts for being extremely careful of debris.

[Cataholic]

How very tragic. Prayers to those involved.

[joycenalex]

may their families be comforted in knowing that they passed over to the rainbow bridge doing what they wanted to be doing. joyce in columbus

[ChrisH]

So awful. My thoughts and prayers are for the astronauts and their families and friends.

Chris

Oh no .......;; how tragic :( :( :(

I am praying for the mourning families :) . Let's hope they didn't suffer to much ....http://d21c.com/AnnesPlace/Flowers/RosesDone2.gif

[KYS]

Very tragic, still can't believe it.
My heart goes out to crew and their families.

[Kfamr]

Jeez..What a great thing to wake up to after a night of throwing up and coughing...


Everyone be careful of the debris and things on the ground.

May thoose on the ship. R.I.P.
:(

[Karen]

It is a sad, sad day. Everyone stay safe, and hug those you love. As Paul said, our thoughts and prayers are with everyone involved.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

Prayers are with the families and friends of those lost. I remember the loss of the Challenger only too well. Tonight there will be 7 new stars to join them in heaven.

One thing to be grateful for is no one on earth has been hurt by the falling debris.
(((HUGS FOR THE FAMILIES)))

[Desert Arabian]

I want to cry right now! One of the ladies, Laurel, was from Racine, Wisconsin; which isn't too far from where I live. She has an 8 year old son. I am so sad.

My prayers go out to all the families. :( :( :(



(Feb. 1) - A brief look at the six Americans and Israel's first astronaut aboard space shuttle Columbia:

Commander Rick Husband, 45, Air Force colonel from Amarillo, Texas. The former test pilot was selected as an astronaut in 1994 on his fourth try. He made up his mind as a child that that was what he was going to do with his life.

``It's been pretty much a lifelong dream and just a thrill to be able to get to actually live it out,'' he said in an interview before Columbia's launch, his second spaceflight.

Pilot William McCool, 41, Navy commander from Lubbock, Texas, and father of three sons. He graduated second in his 1983 class at the Naval Academy, went on to test pilot school and became an astronaut in 1996. This was his first spaceflight.

Payload commander Michael Anderson, 43, the son of an Air Force man who grew up on military bases. He was flying for the Air Force when NASA chose him in 1994 as one of only a handful of black astronauts. He traveled to Russia's Mir space station in 1998. The lieutenant colonel was in charge of Columbia's dozens of science experiments. His home is in Spokane, Wash.

Kalpana Chawla, 41, emigrated to United States from India in 1980s and became an astronaut in 1994. On only other spaceflight, in 1997, she made mistakes that sent science satellite tumbling out of control. Other astronauts had to go on spacewalk to capture it.

David Brown, 46, a Navy captain, pilot and doctor. He joined the Navy after a medical internship, went on to fly the A-6E Intruder and F-18. He became an astronaut in 1996. Columbia's mission was his first spaceflight.

Laurel Clark, 41, a Navy diving medical officer aboard submarines, then flight surgeon who became an astronaut in 1996. On board Columbia to help with science experiments. Has 8-year-old son. Her home is in Racine, Wis.

Ilan Ramon, 48, a colonel in Israel's air force and the first Israeli in space. His mother and grandmother survived Auschwitz death camp. Father fought for Israel's statehood alongside grandfather. Ramon fought in Yom Kippur War 1973 and Lebanon War 1982.

He served as a fighter pilot 1970s, 1980s and early 1990s, flew F-16s and F-4s. He was chosen as Israel's first astronaut in 1997, then moved to Houston the next year to train for shuttle flight. His wife and four children live in Tel Aviv.

[zippy-kat]

Wasn't yesterday the anniv. of the Challenger? (happened in '86)

{{Those poor people and their families. All are in my thoughts!}}

[AmberLee]

OMG ... OMG ... OMG :(

[LoudLou]

Originally posted by zippy-kat
Wasn't yesterday the anniv. of the Challenger? (happened in '86)

{{Those poor people and their families. All are in my thoughts!}}



Close..... the Challenger accident happened January 28, 1986.:(

[primabella]

i feel awful :( i am sending prayers to the families of these people. may the rest in peace :(

[iceyshiver21]

my prayers.....

[Desert Arabian]

Now, I'm even more sad...there were rats on the space shuttle. :( :( On the radio, they said that the lady from Wisconsin went up there to do tests on rats & insects. :( :(

WWWWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!!

[jenluckenbach]

too tragic for words.

[joycenalex]

... the Challenger accident happened January 28, 1986... and apollo 1, with 3 astronauts in the final week of training for the first flights to the moon were killed on 27 january 1967. there are still 3 astronauts on the space station now. how far from home they are, how alone they must feel.

[neko1]

How awful. Hugs and prayers sent to the families.

[lovemyshiba]

How truly awful. Many prayers sent out to their families, as well as those who live in the area of the falling debris--please be careful.
I watched Nickelodeon this morning, took care of the dogs, and drove to work--when I got there, everyone was sitting silently in front of one of the TV's watching CNN. It gave me chills--I immediately went into another room, and prayed for the victims and families.
It's just too sad.

[popcornbird]

:(:(:(:(:( That is just too sad. :( May God give their families patience. :(

[Cookiebaker]

I can't even believe that this happened. I was in 4th grade when the Challanger exploded and I will never forget that day. There is a current country song that is popular now called "19 something" by Mark Wills (I believe). One of the lines is "The space shuttle (ie Challanger) fell out of the sky, and the whole world cried..." When I heard this song the other day, I was thinking about it, and thinking, "man, that was a long time ago." And now, it has happened again...as if technology hasn't changed in all that time. It seems so hopeless & senseless..:(

[Desert Arabian]

There is a current country song that is popular now called "19 something" by Mark Wills (I believe). One of the lines is "The space shuttle (ie Challanger) fell out of the sky, and the whole world cried..."

I *love* that song! There are a lot of sad things in that song though..such as that one.

[RICHARD]

the one thing that strikes me as a rather sad is when
we lose people in an national tragedy, or any other tragedy
for that matter, is when we see the pictures of the victims.
They will never get old, the will never grace us with their company. They remain frozen in those picures for us to remember.


god bless them and all of us.

[mugsy]

I cannot imagine the terror that they felt. I hope it was quick with no pain. God this is awful. I was in college when the Challenger blew up and remember feeling shocky for a couple of days. Awful, awful, awful.

My thoughts and prayers go out to the families and friends.

[anna_66]

"Seven New Angels"
February first, two thousand and three,
as returning to Earth, a shuttle was lost.
Two women and five men, lost in the debris,
realizing their dreams, but paying a high cost.

A very sad day, for families and friends,
of two women and five men, living their dreams.
Sailing the heavens, till the trip suddenly ends,
as mighty explosions, thru the sky streams.

In Heaven now, seven new angels reside,
two women and five men, their lives have been taken.
For their life long dreams, they lived and died,
and now a whole world, by this tragedy is shaken.

The entire world weeps, and is in despair,
for two women and five men, who traveled in space,
All the joy and wonders, that together they share,
they now share with each other, in God's Heavenly Grace.

~written by Frank J. Hornsby, subscriber and a forum member of Top-Greetings.com

http://www.top-greetings.com/v/2003/02/last.jpg
Above: one of the last images from Shuttle Colimbia.

Prayers for all their family members..

[mugsy]

Thanks for sharing the poem Anna, that's very touching.

[Cincy'sMom]

Thanks for sharing that Anna...very touching. It seems so long ago that the challenger happened, yet seeing and hearing about this makes it seem so much closer. Prayers for the friends and family of those involved.

Cookie- I also was in 4th grade, when the Challenger blew up. I remember being inthe lunch room and the principal coming in and ringing one of those big old school bells. Instead of going out for recess, we went upstairs to watch the TV. For other reasons (a milk allergy) I actually got sick watching it and did so all over the TV stand. Not a day I'll forget :)

[Desert Arabian]

Oh me, oh me, oh my- on AOL News, there is a picture of a helmet, standing right-side up, which landed in someones yard. I can't stop staring at it-

Oh geeze, here come the tears. :( :( :(

[NoahsMommy]

Its very, very sad. :(

Prayers to those affected...and all of us.

[momoffuzzyfaces]

I've been watching the news most of the day. I heard there are still 3 people on the space station. I can only imagine what they are feeling. The news said they have been informed about the loss of the shuttle. They have enough supplies to last until June and Russia just sent an unmanned rocket up to them with some things. But just knowing what happened to the shuttle crew while being stuck up there has to be awful. Prayers are on the way for them too.

[mugsy]

Yes, yes, I did hear, however, that they have something up there for an emergency trip back.

[primabella]

the more i hear about it, the worse i feel. it's really sad :(

but what angers me is that some people who have found pieces of the shuttle, are selling them on Ebay. i heard it on TV. how sad and stupid of them. NASA is asking for them to return the pieces to them because they may help them to find out what happened on the shuttle. i just keep sending prayers...:(

[turner]

My prayers are with the families and the crew......tragic ...:( :( :(

[Kfamr]

I just saw this slide show on msn........

MSN SlideShow (http://www.msnbc.com/c/0/134/54/ssMain.asp)

[ramanth]

Jeez... where to begin... :( My deepest and sincere condolences to the families of Columbia's crew.

I was in 3rd Grade when the Challenger exploded. I was new to the school and I remember the excitement of the first teacher being in space. I remember sitting on the floor with my classmates and then seeing the pillow of smoke... students crying and the teachers trying to decide if they should watch the news or turn it off.

But that accident didn't squash my love for space and in 1991 I entered an essay contest and won a trip to Space Academy (http://www.spacecamp.com/spacecamp/space_academy_al.asp).

When I woke up to the news I called my parents only to find out that my great aunt also passed away. I'm happy she's no longer in pain, but sad she's gone.

A friend of my dad's also passed away... not a good weekend.

[todd]

YES SO SAD.