[NormsRevenge]

Sat Feb 1, 3:42 PM ET

The crew of the Space Shuttle Columbia is seen in this undated composite photo. All seven astronauts were lost when Columbia broke up in the skies over Texas February 1, 2003, just minutes before a scheduled landing at the Kennedy Space Center (news - web sites) in Florida. Photo by Nasa (news - web sites)/Reuters

Lord, we commit these souls unto your care.

Prayers to the families and friends of those lost in this terrible event.

[nhoward14]

There was a fire this morning that started in Plano (North of Dallas) at an apartment building. The local TV stations in Dallas are covering it because the call came in at 7:58AM and witnesses said the roof looked like something fell into it. Judging by the timeline mentioned in the NASA news conference, it looks like it could be shuttle debris, but there is no confirmation yet from officials.

[EggsAckley]

Detritus.

:-(

[hole_n_one]

[hole_n_one]

[dogbyte12]

Weird question. How toxic is this material? I just wonder if it is part cover story? In a tragedy like this, it may be forgotten that there were very valuable materials on the shuttle. The shuttle often is carrying military experiments and equipment on board, and I am wondering if that is one of the reasons they are so vehement on people not approaching the debris.

Ok course the crash investigators want a pristine site, and some materials can be toxic, but has anybody heard anything about if there actually was highly classified data or equipment aboard this flight?

[aspiring.hillbilly]

They kept repeating, on the news,, that the wreckage could contain toxic rocket fuel,,,how could it still be there after such a firey decent and not burn off on the way down ,,,I think they just didn't the pieces taken or carried off... Why cant the govt just tell us that and not come up with a scare story ?

[jaz.357]

Offical STS-107 press kit link: http://www.shuttlepresskit.com/STS-107/STS-107_SPK.pdf

[Fiddlstix]

Bump