I don't cry very often. But after watching the shuttle begin re-entry, and watch it disintegrate, I had to shed a tear. I have a very good idea of what those brave souls were feeling during the mission, and that final, fatal, few seconds before they died, can only be decribed as tragic. This is not the same as 911. I mean no disrespect for the victims of 911, and I don't mean to downplay it at all, but there is a significant difference between sitting at a desk in a tall building, and sitting strapped in a flying chunk of metal hurling itself towards the great beyond at 20 times the speed of sound. These men and women had achieved what most of us only dream of. To see them die, on TV, live, while trying to achieve a dream, breaks my heart.

I too wanted to someday be in the seat of a space shuttle, and to see them die like that on tv, just brings a tear to my eye.

I'm sure many people who have no interest in space, or avaition or the like, will never fully understand or empathise with the reast of us. I don't expect you to, but respect the fact that some of us held these men and women in VERY high regard, even if other do not, and that's why we are so emotional about it.

For a moment, when I realized there was the Isreali astronaut onboard, and the ship burned up over the USA, I thought perhaps it may have been the work of a Terrorist, and no doubt, I'm sure Bush would like to have seen that as the cause.
But in my mind, the nagging fact remains simply the AGE of these machines. They originated from a time when slide rules were still in use, and have been updated many times to remain somewhat hightech, BUT, these were still OLD shuttles.

I read an article stating that Columbia cost $2 billion to make. If that is true, it is sad that that is the small amount of money they invested in such a great endevour. The price tag on a B2 Stealth Bomber was $2 Billion each. The USAF has dozens upon dozens of B2s. Wouldn't the money have been better spent in other ways?

Why is NASA constantly getting shafted in the funding department? Because congress thinks space travel is dated and unecessary. NASA should be able to afford to update the 30 year old technology it is using to send humans into space. There is no doubt in my mind, that the 7 crew members lost thier lives, not because of a human mistake, or design flaw, but simply because the equipment was old, and dated. A piece of insulation from an external tank broke off, and damaged some tiles on the left wing of the shuttle. Could it have been updated or replaced before the launch, given enough funding, thus saving the lives of the crew? There's something to debate.

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by Porsche5050:
<strong>Someone mentioned the Bible in the same manner. People died today, people that thought they were doing good. Let’s leave debate and opinion for another day and see the human side of this sad incident.</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">That was me I guess, and I meant no offense. I'm sorry if anyone is offened. I guess it just came across wrong. I don't have anything against religion or religous people.

Agreed on the debate part.

 

<img src="http://i.cnn.net/cnn/SPECIALS/2003/shuttle/images/topbanner_2.jpg" alt=" - " />

All I have to say is - Respect.

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">A piece of insulation from an external tank broke off, and damaged some tiles on the left wing of the shuttle. Could it have been updated or replaced before the launch, given enough funding, thus saving the lives of the crew? There's something to debate.</font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">from : <a href="http://www.cnn.com/2003/US/02/01/shuttle.investigation/index.html" target="_blank">cnn.com</a>

"We don't think that the tiles were a problem. When we analyzed it 10 days we did not think that it was an issue," said NASA shuttle flight director Ron Dittemore.

"Is that the smoking gun? It's not. More evidence needs to be on the table," he told reporters.

Nevertheless, should a flag had been raised during the mission, shuttle astronauts would not have been able to conduct a spacewalk to inspect or repair the tile damage.

"We have no capability to repair it," he said.

<img src="http://i.cnn.net/cnn/2003/US/02/01/shuttle.investigation/story.columbia.to.space.jpg" alt=" - " />

 

Working in the aviation industry I have always
had a special place in my heart for anything/
any one who flys. Was a sad day for all of us
but I am sure they will pick up the pieces and
go on. Living here in Florida we can see the
launches from just about anywhere on the east
coast. It is amazing how easy it is to take
them for granted, like it is no big deal, we
forget that it is still space "exploration"
and for centurys exploration is a dangerous
game. Remember manned flight is only 100 years
old this year and space flight has been
going on for 43 of those years, not a very long
time really and all in all it's gone pretty well.
I'm proud to live in a country where we have
people that take these kinds of risks so that all
will bennifit. My thoughts go out to all NASA and
their familys.

my thoughts/feelings FWIW
Bill

 

</font><blockquote><font size="1" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">quote:</font><hr /><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">Originally posted by SidViscous:
<strong>

"Every time they pass through the ozone, they are destroying a piece of it."

No they are not.

&gt;&gt;&gt;How do you know? Are you telling me that all that toxic gas they are burning through the atmosphere has no impact on the ozone at all? Right. What a crock.

"Cancer is up by 70%"

That's because people live long enough to get it, in the Great old days most people died before they were thirty.

&gt;&gt;&gt;Whoa buddy, the great old days? Try 70% in the last 2 - 3 years!!!!!!!!!!! Back then people died from colds. A simple bacteria, not a mutated cell

I'm willing to respect your opinion even though I think it is wrong.

BUT DO IT SOMEPLACE ELSE!

&gt;&gt;&gt;There is no such thing as right or wrong when it comes down to opinions. I am right and you dont like it. You know what, I DIDNT ASK YOU LIKE IT!!!

Start anohter thread. There are 7 people dead. Let us mourn them. Now is not the time and the place.

&gt;&gt;&gt;Your damn right there are 7 people dead. I sad I felt bad for them and there families. I made one little comment and ALL OF YOU PEOPLE,... jumped down my throat. Who started it? You guyz could of disagreed and moved on without even saying anything but nooooo you had to try your best to make me feel guilty about how I feel. Not going to work. you guyz feel better now? It's very common of humans to put one another down to make themselves look as if they are the better man. Good job guyz <img border="0" alt="[thumbsup]" title="" src="graemlins/bigok.gif" />

Your as bad as the people I knew that accused America of causing 911 on 911.

&gt;&gt;&gt;What the hell are you talking about here?

</strong></font><hr /></blockquote><font size="2" face="Verdana,Tahoma,Arial,Helvetica,Geneva">

 

....I give my condolences to the families and the poor guy @ NASA who worked on the shuttle...for the guilt they may feel for the incident whether it was thier fualt or not....-chris

-nicely said overKIlll Hardcore as ussual...