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.

[Riley]

Space Shuttle Columbia Will Be Visible In San Francisco Area (6AM Pacific)

I just missed seeing it pass overhead here in California. It was supposed to have been quite a sight.

[kaylar]

I won't post a link to it, but the DU forum adminstraters posted a notice saying there's no proof of terrorism, no proof GWB "had something to do with it", and expressing condolences to the families. Maybe a DU lurker sent the FA a message , letting them know the bile at DU has been noted at FR, and has been posted here for the world to see. In any case, looks like DUs FAS feel they have to disassociate themselves from the worst DU posters. If anyone wants to see the notice, it's on the bottom right of the DU homepage.

[spetznaz]

Sadly the presence of multiple tails indicates that parts of the shuttle had broken off and were burning up in the atmosphere. This is a very bad sign and very sad.

I really do not think survival is possible (due to the speed, and also the altitude) unless an actual miracle was to occur.

Personally i think probably the ceramic tiles which help the shuttle not heat up during re-entry probably started to come off and consequently the shuttle could not handle the high temperatures.

Very sad.

I just hope it is not terrorism, athough if it were that would be extremely hard to do (the only 2 nations that could hit a target that high up are the Russians and the US .....and even that would necessitate quite advanced means and may not even work because the shuttle was extremely high and moving at 7 times the speed of a bullet fired from a rifle. Hence the shuttle being shot down is not probable. Sabotage before take off is possible, but even that is improbable because there are people who check for problems. Hence it is most probably an accident).

Just pray for the families. Most were watching to see their loved ones return, and i dare not imagine what they are going through.

[rimtop56]

Local radio played a tape of a 911 dispatcher in St. Augustine, Texas. She said that a hand and an arm were found plus much debris.

[Teacher317]

Why give them more hits than they deserve? FR is up to #1250 on the entire web... let's work on getting FR higher than in helping give DU some legitimacy.

[Howlin]

Why don't you stick to the facts? This is bad enough without that crap on this thread.

[Fitzcarraldo]

It only takes ONE TILE to dislodge to destroy a Shuttle.

[berkeleybeej]

I hope President Bush's speechwriter is half as good. President Reagan's words were extremely touching.

[The South Park Republican]

That is an absolutely amazing image!

[woodyinscc]

"multiple pieses of shuttle would make multiple booms upon reentry."

Exactly!"Hi Woody this is Patsy ... I heard the explosions, loud and clear, coninued for about 1 minute or more could easily have fallen on our house, headed straight over us very sad situation" This is an Im from my sister in Law who lived in the Toledo Res. area of W. LA.

[RummyChick]

The one woman reminds me of the teacher that was in the Challenger.

[George W. Bush]

I remind you that these people, who chose to go on this flight, knew what they were flying and the chances they were taking. People die doing everyday things. People die doing risky things. That's life-- people die. We'll never be able to change it. We can only do the best we can to stop accidents. We are not God.

Absolutely. And every astronaut at NASA would go again tomorrow. They're brave and smart. They know the risks.

That doesn't mean they don't deserve something better than what we have now.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Ah, a whiff of socialist fetor...

[RoughDobermann]

Photo sequence...

[areafiftyone]

I skimmed over there to see what everyone was talking about. I have never been on that site before and I read a few things. They are the angriest and most vicious group of people ever! OMG I have never seen such nastiness. Even in a tragedy they have to be evil!

[Pete-R-Bilt]

'morning g r, here we go again, who'd have guessed this, while i was sending trajectory emails last night.

i remember all the conjecture in the 80's and how that one damn near shut down nasa

too sad...

[Chi-townChief]

I really don't think we need any more proof to realize that they don't have too many brainiacs over there.

[sweetliberty]

I haven't been able to really keep up so I don't know if this has been posted yet or not. I was listening to our local broadcast where they were talking to a Texas resident who claimed to have pieces of debris all over his yard. He was asked if he had contacted the authorities yet and he said he had not, but he did say they had been careful not to touch anything. Very weird. There have been several reports of people seeing the shuttle breaking up.

One said that he had observed another aircraft in the sky. Any furthur word on that? How freaky would that have been for a pilot to see? I hope that no one else was hurt.

[dighton]

Don't associate with hate right now. Stay away from DU. This is a time for mourning and reflection, and being close with your wife and children. Life is short and uncertain, and every moment you can spend with your loved ones just bonus freebee extras.

Be strong and comforting for your family, my friend. And NEVER stop praying.

Good advice, IMHO.