[My Favorite Headache]

This is the song "Countdown" from the Rush album Signals. I immediately thought of the first launch of Columbia that I went to in 1981. It was literally the only day of school I missed that year...but it was worth every second of it.

My mother lives right off Merritt Island and the Cape and Patrick AFB is right outside her door. This is tearing apart at the hearts of all Americans especially the Space community.

God Bless Them All

[stratman1969]

I was just thinking about this song and the video to it.

This is horrible. I remember watching the Columbia's first launch that Saturday morning in 1981 and then we watched the landing in my school a couple days later. (I was in sixth grade). Viewing this on the TV brings back the awful memories of 17 years ago when the Challenger exploded.

God Bless the families and our nation.

[Joe 6-pack]

Flying High
John Denver

Well, I guess that you probably know by now
I was one who wanted to fly
I wanted to ride on that arrow of fire right up into heaven
And I wanted to go for every man, every child, every mother of children
I wanted to carry the dreams of all people right up to the stars

And I prayed that I'd find an answer there
Or maybe I would find the song
Giving a voice to all of the hearts that can not be heard
And for all of the ones who live in fear
And all of those who stand apart
My being there would bring us a little step closer together

They were flying for me, they were flying for everyone
They were trying to see, a brighter day for each and everyone
They gave us their light, they gave us their spirit, and all they could be
They were flying for me

And I wanted to wish on the Milky Way and dance upon the falling star
I wanted to give myself, and free myself, enjoin myself with it all!
Given the chance to dream, it can be done
The promise of tomorrow is real
Children of spaceship Earth, the future belongs to us all

She was flying for me, she was flying for everyone
She was trying to see, a brighter day for each and everyone
She gave us her light, she gave us her spirit, and all she could be
She was flying for me

They were flying for me, they were flying for everyone
They were trying to see, a brighter day for each and everyone
They gave us their light, they gave us their spirit, and all they could be
They were flying for me

[Huck]

I remember watching the early shuttle tests, when it used to piggy back on a big jetliner. Sad, sad day, but we will prevail, as we always do.

[Uncle Jaque]

Can anyone tell me the Home State of the Astronauts we lost this Morning with the Columbia? (Knowing that one was a Son of Israel).

As I watched in helpless sorrow the umpteenth re-run on the TV screen of the firey demise of the doomed spacecraft, the imagery suddenly reminded me of a cluster of “Falling Stars”.

Seven gallant Pioneers returning home from the last great frontier, their proud and adoring Families and Colleages anxiously awaiting their triumphant return to Earth... to home.

Yet in a heartbeat, it seems, this high adventure was transformed into firey disaster; The good Ship Columbia and her Crew became in an instant...

Falling Stars.

Then the rough draft of a lyric began to form in my mind, along the lines of...

Seven Falling Stars.

Seven sparkling, Falling Stars,
lighting up the Morning;
Above the Lone Star State they blaze
And tumble without warning;
And behold; a Star of David;
Precious Star of India;
Streaming down from Heaven
Where the Angels hold so tightly...

Onto the twinkling Host of Heaven
Through ages as their own;
By their own Creator each one named, and counted
Seeds of Light throughout the Universe
He has so gloriously sown
Where but Angels - and a few brave Souls - encountered;

And among them shone, if but a while
A star of ____________;...
(Help me out here)...
????

...Something about “Columbia’s Coming Home...”

or...

“Did any child look up that day,
in wonder and in awe;
And wish a wish,
upon those falling Stars
Prechance she saw?
...

---

Admittedly chainsaw poetry at this point, but it’s slowly coming together.

There’s a song in here somewhere, don’t you suppose?

UJ

[Darksheare]

Pink FLoyd 'Learining to Fly'

Into the distance a ribbon of black
Stretched to the point of no turning back
A flight of fancy on a windswept field
Standing alone my senses reeled
A fatal attraction holding me fast how
Can I escape this irresistible grasp?

Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue tied and twisted Just an earth bound misfit I

Ice is forming on the tips of my wings
Unheeded warnings I thought I thought of everything
No navigator to guide my way home
Unladened, empty and turned to stone

A soul in tension that's learning to fly
Condition grounded but determined to try
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I

Friction lock - set.
Mixture - rich
Propellers - fully forward
Flaps - set - 10 degrees
Engine gauges and suction - check

Mixture set to maximum percent - recheck
Flight instruments...
Altimeters - check both
(garbled word) - on
Navigation lights - on
Strobes - on
(to tower): Confirm 3-8-Echo ready for departure
(tower): Hello again, this is now 129.4
(to tower): 129.4. It's to go.
(tower): You may commence your takeoff, winds over 10 knots.
(to tower): 3-8-Echo
Easy on the brakes. Take it easy. Its gonna roll this time.
Just hand the power gradually, and it...

Above the planet on a wing and a prayer,
My grubby halo, a vapour trail in the empty air,
Across the clouds I see my shadow fly
Out of the corner of my watering eye
A dream unthreatened by the morning light
Could blow this soul right through the roof of the night

There's no sensation to compare with this
Suspended animation, A state of bliss
Can't keep my eyes from the circling skies
Tongue-tied and twisted just an earth-bound misfit, I