Columbia Discussion thread

Feb 1, 2003

[Admin Moderator]

'

On behalf of posters on Free Republic, I post this with deepest sympathy for the crew and their families.

Mission - sts107

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This is a continuation of the original thread.

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

ANY DU LINKS OR POSTS WILL BE REMOVED IMMEDIATELY. Keep them on the original thread.

[Arkinsaw]

I have a Shuttle Operators Manual that did not get any bids a while back. I could probably put it up today and get a healthy number of bids. But I won't. I certainly won't put up any Space Shuttle items until after one year has passed.

[Aquamarine]

Amen.

[Brytani]

I remember when President Reagan spoke to the families of the Challenger astronauts after their tragic loss. He had a difficult time controlling his emotions and finally tears began to flow.

[Route66]

'Welcome to today's America where the scientists emote and (with Title 9) the women have 50% of funds for college sports and sports scholarships. It's a mega tragedy and I won't sully it any further. But this is how see it.
>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
Come on, dennisw. Why is it necessary to sully it at all?
We don't have to do this now. These issues are separate from what's happening here. If we can't cut these people some slack for expressing some grief, we have become too jaded and too hard.

[lainie]

It's weird. Around Wednesday, we were told here in CA that we'd be able to see the shuttle pass over on its way to landing. So there were a lot of folks out watching. The thing is, if you're in CA with a camera trained on an object 200,000 feet up, how do you know where it is, in relation to you? Do you think they saw it break up in California or do you think they saw it break up FROM California?

I haven't heard enough of these reports to gauge whether they know what they're talking about, physics-wise.

[L`enn]

I am usually a cold-hearted steely person. And as I only followed this mission casually at best, on top of not knowing anyone remotely associated with the space program, I feel like I got hit with a massive gut-shot today. If nothing more but it is never a good thing to have 7 brilliant people of acheivement taken from the world.

I can only imagine what these people who live this feel. If they acted "professional" I would have been disappointed with them.

[Conservababe]

Not trying to criticize you as I admire your ability to do that. But have you had to go in front of the press discussing in clinical detail how your best friend at work just died? It might be a bit different than dealing with the death of a regular patient.

In a hospital of 350 beds in my small town, we were a very close allied health care department. We were like a family of thirty persons. I hope everyone has been part of a workplace group that is such...sharing family and personal stories, bringing in goodies to eat, trading shifts etc.

One of our duties was to rotate flying on our medivac helicopter. One night, it went down. Killed were one of our therapists, a nurse, the child patient. The pilot survived and was admitted.

I was on day shift. All day long, as the news played on tv, patients and visitors asked questions and wanted to talk of it, as could be expected. I and my co-workers on that shift carried on and never cried in public.

Why? Because when you have a job to do, you just carry on...professionally.

[Brytani]

I can not imagine anyone who was so closely associated with this space launch and the people involved with the mission being able to speak without showing some emotion. While NASA uses computers and robots to complete many tasks, actual people with hearts and minds are involved. I fully understand the display of emotions and am even a little surprised there is no more.

[RadioAstronomer]

If you must, flame away.

Not flame, just have been there. (and I have been in this business for more than 22 years)

[ChemistCat]

People who can be cold-hearted and steely are necessary to humanity because they can get a dangerous job done with perfect focus. But when the dangerous job is done or there is nothing left to do...it's okay to be human.

[steveegg]

I'd discount the pre-existing leak idea. Hydraulic temp increase is, however, apparent. Now, for the questions as best as I can hazard an answer...

1. Must me missing a tile somewhere?
I'd say more than one and concentrated around the left gear door, probably including said door.

2. Loss of control of left wing due to hydraulic leak.
Possible. I don't know about any manual backup systems, or where the control surfaces default to when hydraulic pressure is lost.

3. Wonder how the hydraulic fluid thermally decomposes?
Unknown.

4. Is there enough air for combustion?
No, unless an oxygen tank popped a leak.

5. Burning jet of hydraulic fluid causes other problems?
If there's burning fluid, definitely.

[SAMWolf]

BECAUSE I FLY

Because I fly
I laugh more than other men
I look up an see more than they,
I know how the clouds feel,
What it's like to have the blue in my lap,
to look down on birds,
to feel freedom in a thing called the stick...

who but I can slice between God's billowed legs,
and feel then laugh and crash with His step
Who else has seen the unclimbed peaks?
The rainbow's secret?
The real reason birds sing?
Because I Fly,
I envy no man on earth.

[RadioAstronomer]

Where is Owens Valley CA...??

Big radio telescope observatory there. (Caltech)

[DoughtyOne]

Thanks Ivan. Nobody appreciates your comforting words more than I, except perhaps a family member or friend of the lost souls. I will never forget that the Queen instructed that the Star Spangeled Banner be played for the Changing of the Palace Guard after 09/11. It is to the credit of both our nations that we had strident differences, fought battles and yet feel a sense of allegience seldom matched among separate nations. We know that you grieve our losses as we grieve yours.

Take care my friend.

[MadIvan]

From the UK Times - Breaking News:

Party leaders express sympathy

Prime Minister Tony Blair has written to President Bush and his Israeli counterpart Ariel Sharon "to express the Government's sympathy and express his condolences after the death of the courageous astronauts," says Downing Street. And Tory leader Iain Duncan Smith sent his "deepest sympathies to the families", Conservative Central Office said. Mr Duncan Smith also said: "Our thoughts and prayers are tonight with the American and Israeli people at this time of great sadness." The Tory leader was writing to the respective Embassies in London, a spokesman added. Liberal Democrat leader Charles Kennedy said: "I wish to extend my deepest sympathies to the families of all seven of the skilled and courageous astronauts."

Britain grieves with you.

Regards, Ivan

[RadioAstronomer]

But when the dangerous job is done or there is nothing left to do...it's okay to be human.

Indeed! See post #953

[MeekOneGOP]

Amen...

[Conservababe]

People who can be cold-hearted and steely are necessary to humanity because they can get a dangerous job done with perfect focus. But when the dangerous job is done or there is nothing left to do...it's okay to be human.

I have never seen a general cry at a press conference.

[Tree of Liberty]

Owens Valley is a couple miles away from Big Pine. CalTech has a radio telescope farm there.

Map of Big Pine, CA

[mewzilla]

Yeah, and the NASA guy poopooed that report about debris over CA fast enough. I am not impressed with these guys or their thinking. Did you hear the answer about why they didn't even try to get pics of the wing (well, there's nothing we could have done about it...). And how about having the pics as a record in case the unthinkable happens. I am so po'ed at this guy right now.