[rintense]

What the hell is going on? I just logged onto FR. Can someone summarize what's happening?????

[ez]

What the hell is going on? I just logged onto FR. Can someone summarize what's happening?????

Shuttle Columbia broke up on reentry over TX. There is word that a piece flew off during launch and may have damaged the forward surface of the wing.

[JohnHuang2]

Shuttle, crew lost

By Irene Brown
UPI Science News
From the Science & Technology Desk
Published 2/1/2003 10:18 AM
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CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla., Feb. 1 (UPI) -- Space shuttle Columbia and its seven-member crew, including Israel's first astronaut Ilan Ramon, were lost upon return to Earth Saturday following a 16-day space research mission.

Observers in Houston who could see the shuttle as it flew overhead enroute to the Kennedy Space Center in Houston reported debris falling from the sky.

"It looked just like the Mir breakup," said Stephen Clark, a contributor to spaceflightnow.com.

Ground control teams in Houston lost tracking and radio contact with the shuttle at 9 a.m. ET.

"Contingency procedures are in effect," said commentator James Hartsfield.

Under tight security, shuttle Columbia lifted off on Jan. 16. In addition to Ramon, the crew included commander Rick Husband, pilot Willie McCool, flight engineer Kalpana Chawla, payload commander Michael Anderson and astronauts David Brown and Laurel Clark.

Rescue teams have been alerted in the central Houston area and residents have been warned not to touch any debris, which could contain toxic substances. President George W. Bush was being briefed at the presidential retreat in Camp David, Md., and was preparing to convene domestic and military committees that may be involved in the shuttle emergency.

The mission was the first of six planned for this year, with the remainder of the flights devoted to space station assembly.

The loss of the shuttle and the crew comes 17 years after the Challenger accident, which claimed the lives of seven astronauts, including teacher in space Christa McAuliffe. The woman who trained alongside McAuliffe and served as her backup was to fly on Columbia's next mission this November.

There has been no determination what caused Columbia to fall from the sky.

Copyright © 2001-2003 United Press International
 
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[Catspaw]

First reports were that NASA had lost contact with Space Shuttle Columbia. Next they reported that Columbia was overdue. Next we heard reports that there were sounds of an explosion north of Dallas, Texas. After that, we saw video of the Columbia, on reentry, exploding and breaking up in the Dallas, Texas area.

[Rightly Biased]

The shuttle crashed rin it blew up over Dallas and parts seem to be scatterd from Texas,to Louisana that about sums it up

Regards
RB

[Maedhros]

NASA Mission Control lost contact with the space shuttle Columbia on re-entry circa 9:00 AM EST. Apparently it broke up at 200,000 feet elevation traveling at Mach 6 over Dallas. Witnesses heard a rumble or a boom, and there is a video showing multiple contrails and disentegration.

[HiJinx]

We've lost the space shuttle Columbia, it broke up over Dallas and has come down in pieces between there and Louisiana.

President Bush has called a Domestic Emergency Meeting in D.C. to respond to the disaster.

You're going to have some interesting DOSE threads for several days, I'm sorry to say.

HJ