Junior Posted February 1, 2003 Share Posted February 1, 2003 The NASA Space Shuttle has crashed over Texas upon re-entry. Tune to ANY network or news station for details. The space shuttle Columbia, with seven astronauts aboard, broke up as it descended over central Texas Saturday toward a planned landing at Kennedy Space Center in Florida. Please remember their families, America and Israel during this time of loss. Just a couple of updates... 17 years ago, this week (on January 28) the Challenger exploded during takeoff. Also, here is a press release from NASA on the crash: NASA STATEMENT ON LOSS OF COMMUNICATIONS WITH COLUMBIA A Space Shuttle contingency has been declared in Mission Control, Houston, as a result of the loss of communication with the Space Shuttle Columbia at approximately 9 a.m. EST Saturday as it descended toward a landing at the Kennedy Space Center, Fla. It was scheduled to touchdown at 9:16 a.m. EST. Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. EST at an altitude of about 203,000 feet in the area above north central Texas. At the time communications were lost. The shuttle was traveling approximately 12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18). No communication and tracking information were received in Mission Control after that time. Search and rescue teams in the Dallas-Fort Worth and in portions of East Texas have been alerted. Any debris that is located in the area that may be related to the Space Shuttle contingency should be avoided and may be hazardous as a result of toxic propellants used aboard the shuttle. The location of any possible debris should immediately be reported to local authorities. Available links to news sources Orlando Sentinel Orlando, Florida NASA Dallas Morning News Dallas, TX WFAA-TC Channel 8 Dallas/Ft. Worth, TX Link with video of crash EXTREMELY busy, and may be unable to connect UPDATE: NASA PRESS CONFERENCE SCHEDULED FOR 3 P.M. EST FEB. 1 A press conference by Space Shuttle Program Manager Ron Dittemore and Chief Flight Director Milt Heflin will take place from NASA's Johnson Space Center, Houston, beginning at 3 p.m. EST today. The briefing will be carried on NASA TV with two-way question and answer capability from other agency centers. A Space Shuttle contingency was declared earlier this morning in Mission Control when communication was lost with the Space Shuttle Columbia during its return to Earth following a 16-day mission. Communication and tracking of the shuttle was lost at 9 a.m. at an altitude of about 203,000 feet above north central Texas while traveling approximately 12,500 miles per hour (Mach 18). No communication and tracking information was received in Mission Control after that time. Flight controllers in Mission Control immediately began the process of securing all information, notes and data pertinent to today's reentry and landing. NASA TV is on AMC-2, Transponder 9C, vertical polarization at 85 degrees West longitude, 3880 MHz, with audio at 6.8 MHz. NOTE TO PERSONS IN THE AREA: All debris is United States Government property and is critical to the investigation of the shuttle accident. Any and all debris from the accident is to be left alone and reported to Government authorities. Unauthorized persons found in possession of accident debris will be prosecuted to the full extent of the law. Please remember these fine astronauts who gave their life: STS-107 Flight: January 16-February 1, 2003 Crew: Commander Rick D. Husband (second flight), Pilot William C. McCool (first flight), Payload Specialist Michael P. Anderson (second flight), Mission Specialist Kalpana Chawla (second flight), Mission Specialist David M. Brown (first flight), Mission Specialist Laurel B. Clark (first flight), Payload Specialist Ilan Ramon, Israel (first flight) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Posted February 1, 2003 Share Posted February 1, 2003 As a friend of mine said, the events where you always remember where you were are happening too close together. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lianna Posted February 1, 2003 Share Posted February 1, 2003 God be with these souls. I was just telling Junior that I remember when Challenger was lost. I was in Planetary Geology class in college studying for my major in Earth Science (BSEd). That's a bitter irony. Lianna Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.