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Feel very sad this morning with that terrible news about Space Shuttle Columbia explosion. I've been in Space Camp few year ago with one of my kid (went into the Shuttle simulator as instructor for our mission) and visited Cap Canaveral I feel realy sad this morning. Thinking about our USA friends here, hope that there was no relative into that shuttle.

I was up this morning (9:00am) with my older daughter to watch the landing and was shocked to see this happen.It's very scary especially at this time of the year. Some of you may remember the Apollo 1 fire on January 27, 1967 and then 19 years later the Space Shuttle Challenger explosion on January 28, 1986 and now 17 years later another Shuttle disaster on February 1.Another strange fact is that both shuttles (Challenger in '86 and Columbia in '03) had a 7 member crew containing 2 women and one black man.A very sad day.

quote:Thinking about our USA friends here, hope that there was no relative into that shuttle. Thanks SCTM for your concern.Yes Nova, it is a very sad day.

I go to school down here in Florida, on the ocean side. In fact, the whole reason my college is were it is is because of the space program. I have seen many launches from my seat in class, or while walkin between them. I went outside my house and looked up 16 days ago to watch Columbia rocket into space. And I was kind of waiting to be woken up by the sonic boom when it came into Canveral this morning. I dont know how my school is going to react, i am sure there will be a prayer service and they will add to the Space Tragedy memorial in front of our library, has the names of apollo 1 and challenger astronauts, and i believe the russians who died during re-entry in 61. this tragedy hits my school hard because a lot of money was coming in from the space coast, and i know many people who graduate and go work there, now many do not have an idea on if there will be anymore work. i will keep you all posted as to how things are down here in Florida Space Coast.yogi

A very sad day indeed. I can't believe that NASA had another disaster like this. For as many times as space shuttle launches are done, you would think that they are routine for them. This just goes to show how unpredictable things can be. My family and I are all praying for the families and friends of those affected by this.

Shuttle Lineage: 1. Enterprise: - designation: OV-101 - final assembly: 1975 - weight: 150,000 lbs - spaceflights: 0 (used to test approach and langings) - status: stored at the Smithsonian Institution facility at the Dulles International Airport - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... prise.html 2. Pathfinder: - designation: MPTA-098 - final assembly 1977 - weight: 150,000 lbs - spaceflights: 0 (used to test lifting cranes and as a stand-in for Enterprise) - status: on display at Space Camp at the Alabama Space and Rocket Center - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... inder.html 3. Challenger: - designation: STA-099 & OV-99 - final assembly: 1978 - conversion from test vehicle (STA-099) to orbital vehicle (OV-99): 1981 - first flight: 4/4/83 - weight: 175,111 lbs - spaceflights: 10 (9 successful) - status: lost on launch 1/28/86 - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... enger.html 4. Columbia: - designation: OV-102 - final assembly: 1979 - first flight: 4/12/81 - weight: 178,000 lbs - spaceflights: 28 (27 successful) - status: lost on re-entry 2/1/03 - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... umbia.html 5. Discovery: - designation: OV-103 - final assembly: 1983 - first flight: 8/30/84 - weight: 171,000 lbs - spaceflights: 30 - status: active - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... overy.html 6. Atlantis: - designation: OV-104 - final assembly: 1984 - first flight: 10/3/95 - weight: 171,000 lbs - spaceflights: 25 - status: active - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... antis.html 7. Endeavour: - designation: OV-105 - final assembly: 1990 - first flight: 5/7/92 (built to replace Challenger) - 172,000 lbs - spaceflights: 18 - status: active - http://science.ksc.nasa.gov/shuttle/res ... avour.html Total spaceflights: 111 Problems: 2 Not to belittle the great human loss but we have also lost a part of our history. The Columbia was the first shuttle to launch into space, return to earth and then be used again.

quote:But Challenger's passengers has civilians on it, the one woman was a school teacher I believe.No passengers, just a crew of astronauts. Yes, one of the two women was a school teacher. The "Teacher in Space" program was put on hold after the Challenger disaster and was going to be restarted this year in November. Obviously, it's on hold again.