Shuttle Contact LOST-No Tracking Data During RE-Entry!

Nasa TV | 02/01/03 | GRRRR

[GRRRRR]

Shuttle has NOT been heard from or seen on tracking radar since 0800Hrs CDT. No contact at Merrit Island tracking station, no voice comm...DEVELOPING.

[First_Salute]

Bump.

[VRWC_minion]

We should have stayed with webbed hands and feet, if your ask me.

[Timesink]

Wicked!!!! I was just in time to see it streak across leaving a white trail. 13 posted on 02/01/2003 8:57 AM EST by winodog

Oops.

[MeekOneGOP]

...How very very sad, such fine and brave people.

Yes, that is true.

We're left with only the hope that they died very quickly.

I was telling Ming about this disaster this morning. I printed off the picture of the 7 and showed it to her and her son. I told them that I felt sure that they probably died immediately in the explosion and wouldn't have suffered. I feel that's true, and sure hope so...

[Terriergal]

Thought you'd be interested in this article/thread:

Iraqis Call Shuttle Disaster God's Vengeance

Iraqis Call Shuttle Disaster God's Vengeance
Sat February 1, 2003 02:08 PM ET

BAGHDAD (Reuters) - Immediate popular reaction in Baghdad on Saturday to the loss of the U.S. space shuttle Columbia and its seven-member crew -- including the first Israeli in space -- was that its was God's retribution on Americans.

"We are happy that it broke up," government employee Abdul Jabbar al-Quraishi said.

"God wants to show that his might is greater than the Americans. They have encroached on our country. God is avenging us," he said.

Car mechanic Mohammed Jaber al-Tamini noted Israeli air force Colonel Ilan Ramon was among the dead when the shuttle broke up shortly before its return to earth.

"Israel launched an aggression on us when it raided our nuclear reactor without any reason (in 1981), now time has come and God has retaliated to their aggression," Tamini said.

[Timesink]

There's also no reason it has to be the hand and arm of an astronaut. It could be Laci Peterson's arm for all we know. (Seriously.)

[Porterville]

I am sad this happened; that said it really upsets me that we rely on such old technology. We need to invest our cash better.

[Terriergal]

Just a question...Is SPR not supposed to respond to any of these people that think he's picking on Howlin?

[GunRunner]

They haven't shown any class at all. All of their early threads blamed Bush for this, and theorized that he engineered this disaster. Democrats might show class from time to time, but none of those dems are on DU.

[The South Park Republican]

Good use of words...

"Truly, uniqely America"

[Kip Lange]

It isn't worth bankrupting society to provide test pilots interesting craft to fly.

Manned space flight is an investment *in* society. If you can't see that, I'm not going to argue it with you; we're knocking premises. I'd strap myself on the next shuttle mission if I could get the chance. If I could see the Earth from space, well, IMHO, I could die feeling completely fulfilled. Space flight captures the dream of people -- not just Americans; the whole WORLD. Why do you think we obssess so much over science fiction? It's the Turner thesis played out *after* Turner...

There's no support for NASA in society because it's irrelevant. Cyberspace matters. With the exception of earth satellites, physical space doesn't.

If you'd rather stay inside and surf around the Internet pulling up garbage than hook a ride into space...that's your choice.

I'm not even going to talk about the many inherent, logical benefits of manned space flight and exploration. What I am debating here is the *principle* of manned space flight. There are few instances when human beings are truly able to transcend the petty things that divide them and come together in order to cooperate towards a great common goal -- manned space flight is one of them.

[Jhoffa_]

There's no support for NASA in society because it's irrelevant. Cyberspace matters. With the exception of earth satellites, physical space doesn't.

Speaking for myself, I agree with what Poobah posted earlier.

We need to explore, it's part of who we are.

I think there is great support for NASA and space exploration. "What's over that hill?" has driven man from the beginning of time, it's not going to go away anytime soon..

[Wingsofgold]

awwwwwwwwww maaaannnnnnn this is terrible. God bless us all. Anybody else remember NASA's computers bein hacked? It was a big steenk when it happened.

[MeekOneGOP]

Thanks. Yes, things will get better. President Bush gave his short address a little while ago. Nice to hear his reassurance for support for NASA in the future. NASA always catches it when something like this happens.

The Dallas Morning News has an article up that says that three of the seven were from Texas, too...

[George W. Bush]

The tires are uninflated while in orbit and are inflated during the re-entry phase... It looks like they just did that... Could the LAST word fragment be ..."Blow out "? If a tire blew it could have damaged / blew off the landing gear door.

Seems very unlikely they would be inflating the tires up where the air was still so very thin which would be more dangerous than waiting until landing. I would guess full inflation would be made much closer to landing. They don't even put the gear down until they're a couple hundred feet off the ground.

[mikegi]

I'm trying to vidcap that video but FoxNews REFUSES to show it again. Argggg. It's the most important video of the day. It shows the shuttle pointed sideways seconds before the main break up. There's speculation on CBS about the left wing. I'd like to look at the stills to see if there's anything unusual on the left side (the shuttle was pointed away from the camera in the FoxNews clip). If I get a vidcap, I'll post stills etc.

[The South Park Republican]

Good post.

[txradioguy]

When I was a young private I had a chance to visit Arlington Cemetary. I happened upon three great monuments in a row, The USS maine, Desert One and Challenger. I saluted them smartly and walked away. Looks like next time I visit that sight, I'll be saluting a fourth.

[txdoda]

Your "radar" is a few hours old.......I do not know exactly
where this explosion took place.....I do know we have a
debis field in & around Palestine south to Nacodoches....
and on to the border of LA. Maybe CNN tapped local Dallas
news, as they all reported it happening over Palestine.

Maybe you'd feel better if they were reporting this happened in San Antone....however they didn't even hear it there.......

[GirlShortstop]

FR Columbia Watching Thread

Remarkable.