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Columbia Discussion thread
Feb 1, 2003

Posted on 02/01/2003 8:41:00 AM PST by Admin Moderator

Edited on 02/01/2003 9:11:45 AM PST by Admin Moderator. [history]

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To: Steel Wolf
So then it would be a question of 'how vulnerable is the exposed section to heat'? If the tiles do fall off, with no effect to date, then I would assume that some sections can withstand not having them better than others. What sections on the shuttle could cause this type of catestrophic failure due to overheating.

To date, most of the tile damage has been limited both in total number and number in each affected area. If there is a concentrated area of tile damage, especially where the black tiles are (nose, bottom, leading edges of the wing/tail), then there's going to be problems as the 3,000 degree surface temperature that was blocked somewhat by the black tiles works on the structure. Probably the most-vulnerable area would be near the root of the wing, with the tail coming a close second.

821 posted on 02/01/2003 11:51:21 AM PST by steveegg
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To: Howlin
Yes, they have! (Refering to the DUfuses celebrating over this - CFC)

I really do wish I could say I was shocked, but I can't. The one thing that liberals never fail to do is sink even lower whenever you would think that would be impossible. Being able to celebrate this tragedy speaks volumes on the sheer level of hatred the liberals have for our President and our country.

I was thinking about putting on the rubber suit to go lurk in the DU cesspool for a while, but on second thought I don't want to spend the rest of my afternoon at the ER waiting to have shards of glass from my monitor dug out of my fist.

822 posted on 02/01/2003 11:51:25 AM PST by CFC__VRWC
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To: Ima Lurker
I am shocked that she was still allowed to fly, after her "mistake" on her previous flight.

She wasnt a pilot and had nothing to do with the landing other than sitting in her seat in the back of the shuttle. Actually even the pilot of the shuttle had nothing to do with the landing, until and unless, something went wrong and he had the time to do something. He just watches the gauges, the onboard comuter does everything.

823 posted on 02/01/2003 11:51:27 AM PST by Dave S
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To: Ichneumon; dep
That makes sense - I'm trying to keep in mind that the whole thing is the size of a DC-9, to give me a sense of how large the various engine bells might be. Never been up close to an orbiter, so it's kind of abstract for me ;)
824 posted on 02/01/2003 11:52:58 AM PST by general_re
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To: general_re
See; I told you you weren't that old.
825 posted on 02/01/2003 11:52:59 AM PST by steveegg
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To: AshleyMontagu
I'm glad you're gone, GHOUL.
826 posted on 02/01/2003 11:55:50 AM PST by ChuckHam
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To: PhiKapMom

For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
February 1, 2003

President Addresses Nation on Space Shuttle Columbia Tragedy
Remarks by the President on the Loss of Space Shuttle Columbia
The Cabinet Room

2:04 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: My fellow Americans, this day has brought terrible news and great sadness to our country. At 9:00 a.m. this morning, Mission Control in Houston lost contact with our Space Shuttle Columbia. A short time later, debris was seen falling from the skies above Texas. The Columbia is lost; there are no survivors.

On board was a crew of seven: Colonel Rick Husband; Lt. Colonel Michael Anderson; Commander Laurel Clark; Captain David Brown; Commander William McCool; Dr. Kalpana Chawla; and Ilan Ramon, a Colonel in the Israeli Air Force. These men and women assumed great risk in the service to all humanity.

In an age when space flight has come to seem almost routine, it is easy to overlook the dangers of travel by rocket, and the difficulties of navigating the fierce outer atmosphere of the Earth. These astronauts knew the dangers, and they faced them willingly, knowing they had a high and noble purpose in life. Because of their courage and daring and idealism, we will miss them all the more.

All Americans today are thinking, as well, of the families of these men and women who have been given this sudden shock and grief. You're not alone. Our entire nation grieves with you. And those you loved will always have the respect and gratitude of this country.

The cause in which they died will continue. Mankind is led into the darkness beyond our world by the inspiration of discovery and the longing to understand. Our journey into space will go on.

In the skies today we saw destruction and tragedy. Yet farther than we can see there is comfort and hope. In the words of the prophet Isaiah, "Lift your eyes and look to the heavens. Who created all these? He who brings out the starry hosts one by one and calls them each by name. Because of His great power and mighty strength, not one of them is missing."

The same Creator who names the stars also knows the names of the seven souls we mourn today. The crew of the shuttle Columbia did not return safely to Earth; yet we can pray that all are safely home.

May God bless the grieving families, and may God continue to bless America.


827 posted on 02/01/2003 11:56:30 AM PST by Ragtime Cowgirl
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To: Dog Gone
Do you have any idea how long the ISS can last in a decaying orbit without getting a boost from a Shuttle?

The ISS does its own burns. The shuttle and the Soyuz flights only bring it supplies, personnel, and construction assemblies. They dont move it. Three astronauts are there now. They deal with the ISS. I would be more concerned with resupplying them than worrying about the damn thing coming down.

828 posted on 02/01/2003 11:57:03 AM PST by Dave S
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To: steveegg
One difference, though - besides the fact that I'm a bit older, there was nothing like FR back then, so it was a bunch of middle-schoolers and their teachers engaging in completely unfounded speculation around the lunch table. Being here makes it easier to get a sense of what might have gone wrong, both from constant news updates, and from the posts of people more knowledgeable than me about the shuttle and the space program in general.

Thanks to all who make this a great place to be...

829 posted on 02/01/2003 11:57:40 AM PST by general_re
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To: isthisnickcool
I thought that was how it went but I wasn't sure. Do we know at what point they would have gone into blackout as it seems that NASA was still in contact with the Shuttle and lost contact but not because it went into the blackout phase?

Was looking up atmosphere and at the point the shuttle was at it seems to be pretty thin unlike when it gets closer to ground.
830 posted on 02/01/2003 12:00:53 PM PST by PhiKapMom (Bush/Cheney 2004)
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To: Ragtime Cowgirl
I'm always in awe when I go out at night and see the sky dotted with twinkling stars. Such a wonder to behold!!
831 posted on 02/01/2003 12:01:17 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: mlmr
I keep wondering whether she was piloting. Also whether she was Islamic or Hindu or Christian.

Incidents like this bring all the cockroaches out. For Christ sakes, idiot, a mission specialist doesnt fly the shuttle. She is a passenger. If something goes wrong the pilot flies the plane. Until something goes wrong, the shuttle is flown completely automatically by computer. If you have to blame this on Islam, look for a Islamic programmer who was a mole and dont throw wild accusations against a loyal American citizen of Indian birth.

832 posted on 02/01/2003 12:02:00 PM PST by Dave S
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To: The Right Stuff
>>...Excuse my ignorance, but could the shuttle have been brought down by a device triggered by radio? (defective tiles, planted onboard ahead of time) ...<<

Highly unlikely at the time it broke up. It was in it's "plasma shield" from re-entry. No radio comm possible at least from the ground.

833 posted on 02/01/2003 12:03:40 PM PST by FReepaholic
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To: mhking
Ants in Space: Shuttle Hosts High-Flying School Project

Cameron Walker

for National Geographic News

January 29, 2003

Some strange, six-legged astronauts are in orbit above the Earth. A team of U.S. high school students has launched 15 ants with the space shuttle Columbia, hoping to learn how space's extremely low gravity might affect the ants' behavior.

Students at Fowler High School in Syracuse, New York, have spent three years working on the ants' rocket ride...

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2003/01/0129_030129_spaceants.html




834 posted on 02/01/2003 12:03:58 PM PST by L`enn
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To: general_re
Those are my memories too.
835 posted on 02/01/2003 12:04:36 PM PST by steveegg
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To: PokeyJoe
The last time that we had a tragedy of this magnitude, there was some dancing in the streets of certain foreign areas, broadcast on foreign media. I'm searching for similar events this morning, after someone mentioned that this was indeed the case, as reported by Al Jazeera.

Isnt it amazing how we always seem to find examples of what we actively look for? If you were looking for indifference or sadness in the same parts of the world, Im sure you could find examples of that too. Hell scan this thread, youve got idiots on here that are every bit as bad as any muslims dancing in the streets.

836 posted on 02/01/2003 12:04:58 PM PST by Dave S
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To: AshleyMontagu
We don't need AA in everyday life, let alone rocket science

Proudly spoken Im sure by someone that couldnt qualify to shine her shoes.

837 posted on 02/01/2003 12:07:16 PM PST by Dave S
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To: All
They're conveying some info from California indicating that things were happening earlier (likely tiles flying off) and very significant. The last ship report was the tire pressure change....and looks like cause and effect.
838 posted on 02/01/2003 12:08:04 PM PST by Sacajaweau
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To: Dave S
Hell scan this thread, youve got idiots on here

Good observation. At a couple of points here I felt like I'd stumbled into one of those inane Scott Peterson threads.

839 posted on 02/01/2003 12:08:20 PM PST by wizzler
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To: hole_n_one
Can you tell us what we may be seeing in this picture.

And ... why are those people on the ground stepping on this stuff - they could be destroying important data.
840 posted on 02/01/2003 12:08:58 PM PST by CyberAnt ( Syracuse where are you?)
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